The art of encaustic has its origins in ancient Egyptian & Greek cultures. It’s a technique where a mixture of beeswax & tree resin is heated until liquid. If desired, pigments can be added to the molten medium in order to “paint” with it.
The melted wax is applied with a brush to a porous surface (typically wood), and a heat gun is then used to "fuse" them together, resulting in an extremely durable bond. It can also be used to manipulate the wax. One of my favorite techniques is to create “ripples”, mimicking the surface of water.
While working, all sorts of things can be done to the encaustic piece. Metal tools & special brushes can be used to create texture, and paper & other ephemera can be embedded into the wax. This process is then repeated in a layered approach until I’m satisfied with the final surface.
Jasper Johns, a well-known American artist who grew up in SC, and whose work is on display at the Greenville County Art Museum, worked with encaustic as a medium quite a bit.
Typically I work in a lot of texture, organic lines, and bold colors, yet there are instances where I simply allow the natural smoothness & ethereal quality of the wax to define the piece.
I enjoy creating colorful & vibrant art so your surroundings are never dull & boring. Knowing how difficult life can be at times, I want my art to be a source of joy & happiness for you!
Ode to Money: Water Lilies
encaustic + watercolor
20" x 24" x 1.5"
on cradled wood panel
The melted wax is applied with a brush to a porous surface (typically wood), and a heat gun is then used to "fuse" them together, resulting in an extremely durable bond. It can also be used to manipulate the wax. One of my favorite techniques is to create “ripples”, mimicking the surface of water.
While working, all sorts of things can be done to the encaustic piece. Metal tools & special brushes can be used to create texture, and paper & other ephemera can be embedded into the wax. This process is then repeated in a layered approach until I’m satisfied with the final surface.
Jasper Johns, a well-known American artist who grew up in SC, and whose work is on display at the Greenville County Art Museum, worked with encaustic as a medium quite a bit.
Typically I work in a lot of texture, organic lines, and bold colors, yet there are instances where I simply allow the natural smoothness & ethereal quality of the wax to define the piece.
I enjoy creating colorful & vibrant art so your surroundings are never dull & boring. Knowing how difficult life can be at times, I want my art to be a source of joy & happiness for you!
If you’ve already made a purchase, thank you!
The “care & feeding” of the piece you’ve chosen is simple: Treat it like you would any other fine art piece – keep the temp in the room moderate, hang it out of direct sunlight so the color doesn't fade, never store an encaustic piece in an area that isn't climate controlled (including your car), and give it a gentle polishing once in a while with a piece of nylon stocking or a lint-free soft cloth (a section of a cloth baby diaper or old t-shirt will work great).
And if you have any further questions about encaustic, or anything else about my work, just drop me a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.