Painting layers of hot wax on a wood panel excites me in a way no other medium I work with does. Adding a few drops of melted blue wax to a pot of hot green wax is mesmerizing. Mixing shellac and dry pigments give me endless options. And hearing the hiss and click from my blowtorch makes me feel in control of something bigger than myself. (Plus, the sound of the hiss and click it makes when I turn it on is just so cool!) I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art with emphasis on painting and drawing, however, working with encaustic is relatively new to me. Encaustic painting gives me a sense of accomplishment that I don’t share with other mediums I work with. The process is very technical, yet paintings look ethereal and dream-like. Effortless and simple.
I am currently painting two different series in encaustic. The first speaks about addition and subtraction, spatial tension, and color relationships. I tend to do many layers before the piece reveals itself as to what direction I go next. I often include the addition of shellac, which leave beautiful patterns after I burn off the alcohol.
The second series involves circles and a different type of manipulation of the wax. I have a long history of working with circles and this series is a new investigation. When I heat each layer of wax, I move my torch to the music I am listening to which creates an organic flow and keeps me in a reactive state. I will listen to a specific artist or playlist when I know the mood I want spilling into the painting.