Join painter and printmaker Elise Wagner for an artist talk at Imogen Gallery, offering an in-depth look into her solo exhibition, Finding Buoyancy. Wagner is internationally recognized for her luminous encaustic paintings and for pioneering the wax collagraph printmaking process through her innovative PrintWax materials.

During this talk, Wagner will discuss the inspiration behind Finding Buoyancy, including how the convergence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean — visible from her Astoria studio — shaped the collection’s themes of resilience, adaptation, and navigating change. She will explore how the buoy became a powerful, recurring metaphor throughout the exhibition, and share insight into her layered abstract compositions and her innovative approach to wax collagraph printmaking.

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about Wagner's artistic practice, her materials, and the ideas behind the works on view.

Wagner is co-founder, alongside painter Gabe Fernandez, of Pier 11 Studio, a working waterfront studio and educational space in Astoria. This talk offers a rare chance to hear directly from the artist about the exhibition and the journey behind it.