What is Encaustic Art?

Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is an ancient art medium involving heat and layered pigmented beeswax. I use only the finest unbleached, naturally filtered beeswax and prepare this medium for use by first adding damar resin, a natural sap harvested from trees grown in the East Indies. I incorporate oil paints into this liquid/paste creating translucent tints before applying the wax mixture. With a variety of heated tools, I then paint, sculpt and manipulate the wax onto wood or other prepared substrate in numerous layers. I may occasionally encase or collage other materials into the work, using the encaustic medium to adhere it to the surface. The true beauty of encaustic paint is its luminosity. Light can really play off this medium giving the colors a unique brightness. The light does not get reflected from the surface of the painting, but rather penetrates the different wax layers and reflects back out. Encaustic naturally repels moisture and can tolerate heat more than most other mediums yet may become quite fragile in temperatures cooler that 40 degrees. When cooled, the painting's surface may then be lightly polished with the palm of your hand or a soft cotton pad to produce a light satin lustre. No other actions are required accept this occasional buffing to retain the beauty of the brilliancy and texture of the work.