What is Encaustic?
The Greek word "enkaustikos" dates back to 5th century B.C. and means to "burn in". Beeswax and tree resin are combined in a molten liquid and then tinted with pigments to create paint! The artist must work rapidly and deliberately as the wax begins to cool and harden the moment it leaves its heat source. Each layer of wax is then re-heated or “fused” to bond it with previous layers. Many works have 30 or more layers of wax. The wax surface may also be scraped or incised to reveal underlying layers. Several mediums combine well with encaustic, such as ink, oil sticks, pan pastels, graphite, charcoal, collage, image transfer and more. The possibilities are infinite.
The practice of encaustic painting has changed little throughout history. Before electricity, large church murals were fused with hundreds of precisely placed candles. Egyptians created portraits of the dead in their prime and placed them inside of the tomb with the mummified remains. It was believed to create a window into the soul of the deceased. Some of these portraits, still exist (see e.g. Fayum Mummy Portrait discovered in 1905). I doubt the makers of such portraits, could have imagined their longevity of thousands of of years. Today, artist are aided with heated pallets, gas torches, electric heat guns, amazon and thankfully fire extinguishers.
Why I paint with Encaustic?
1. The degree of depth and luminosity are unmatched by other mediums. Each piece has a minimum of 8 layers of wax. This creates an opportunity for depth and luminosity like no other medium.
2. It is organic! All of the ingredients are gifts from Mother Nature...pure beeswax, resin from the dammar pine tree of SouthEast Asia, and mineral pigments procured from around the globe to tint the medium. Each mineral possesses unique properties that behave differently when heat is applied.
3. I love a challenge! Painting with fire is an exercise in courage and letting go. Courage because each layer of cherished imagery is placed at risk when fused with flame. It's a gamble; admired elements are sacrificed. Risking the comfort of the present imagery for the possibility to (hopefully) reach greater satisfaction in future layers. It is a process of discovery as one observes, accepts and capitalizes on unforeseen occurrences. Each piece eventually reveals its own destination.
