original encaustic paintings
What Is Encaustic Painting?
Encaustic is a paint medium made from natural beeswax, damar resin, and pigment. The paint goes on molten, applied to an absorbent surface while it's still hot, and then fused with heat so each layer bonds to the one before it. The word itself comes from the Greek for "to burn in," which tells you everything about how the process feels.
I've been working in this medium since 2002 and it still surprises me. The layers build. The surface develops a texture you can actually feel with your fingers. You can carve into it, add to it, go back to a piece years later and fuse it again. No other medium I've worked in lets you do that.
heat & encaustics
It takes at least 160 degrees to bring wax to a molten state, and probably a little bit more than that to actually cause it to move. Therefore leaving your painting in direct sunlight or in a car is not a good idea. However, it's not typical for warm environments to cause them to melt.
Color, Texture & the Lowcountry
I use the natural environment surrounding me for color and texture inspiration when creating with encaustics. I find an overwhelming sense of fulfillment in creating works of art based on how the colors and textures can portray and invoke emotions in my audience.
Colors are truly powerful and have the ability to invoke specific emotions such as joy, gratitude, frustration, anger, empowerment, spirituality, hope, sexuality, fear, safety, happiness, and so many more as they occur in my life and in all of human existence.
I want the viewer to connect with the feeling or emotion that the painting sparks in them and truly feel the full effects of each layer of paint just as we feel emotions layering over us throughout each day.
Caring for Encaustic Paintings
Encaustics can be wiped clean or buffed with a soft cloth such as a cotton t-shirt or soft rag or dry paper towel. If the piece is especially dirty, it can be wiped with a water-dampened cloth. Carefully rub the surface of your painting until the glossy sheen appears, being mindful of any textures when buffing, making sure not to cause any damage.
