Encaustic


Encaustic is an ancient painting medium.  The Egyptians and the ancient Romans used beeswax based paints and the work has lasted for centuries.  The encaustic technique involves suspending pigments in a hot wax medium and applying to a rigid support. I enjoy exploring all of the creative possibilities of this technique and I'm having a lot of fun with it!  As with mixed media work, this medium is very receptive to layering. I enjoy embedding photos on thin papers and other ephemera, and layer with both opaque and translucent hot wax. I make my own medium (a combination of 85% beeswax and 15% damar resin) and I mix my own colors, using raw and manufactured pure pigments suspended in the melted medium. 
Below are a few examples of my encaustic work.
Picture
Kom Till Mig, 12 x 4, Encaustic, Mixed Media
Picture
Fractured Earth I, 20 x 16, Encaustic
Picture
SkyBirds VII
Picture
December Dawn, , 12 x 4, Encaustic, Mixed Media
Picture
Fractured Earth V, 20 x 16, Encaustic/ Mixed Media
Picture
Falling Apart II, October Colors. Collection of the Museum of Encaustic Art
Picture
Chasing the Sun II, 30 x 30, Encaustic/Mixed Media
Picture
Searching for Stardust, 30 x 30, Encaustic/Mixed Media
PictureChasing the Sun I, 12 x 36, Encaustic/Mixed Media
Picture
Beached I, 6x6
Picture
Beached 2, 6x6
Picture
Beached 3, 6x6
Picture
Beached 4, 6x6
Picture"Broken Hallelujah" 30 x 40 Encaustic/Mixed Media
Picture
Afton Stund Har Silver i Haret, 12 x 36, Encaustic (Private Collection)
Picture
"Almost Landscape #2" 10 x 10, Encaustic, Sold
Picture
"Almost Landscape #1" 10 x 10, Encaustic, Sold
Picture
Daybreak in Cook Forest, 30 x 40, Encaustic
Picture
"Boldt Grafitti" 16 x 20, Encaustic
Picture
"No Diving" from the Searching for Hope series, 20 x 24, Encaustic
Willows, 11 x 14 each, Encaustic with gravestone rubbings
Picture
"Early Spring at Bent Run, 30" x 40" Encaustic
Picture
Heron in the Snowstorm
11 x 14, Encaustic
(private collection)
Picture
Taos Pueblo 1
11 x 14
Encaustic
(private collection)
Picture
Along the Clarion, 36 x 12, Encaustic
Picture
Cathedral  1
14 x 11
Encaustic, Sold
Picture
"Chickadees in Snowstorm" 16x20, Encaustic (private collection)
Picture
Searching For Hope, 20 x 16, encaustic (private collection)
Picture
"Bright Orange Maples Under a Grey Sky"
11x14
Encaustic