Encaustic is like skin. Layers—from viscous and mottled to fragile and transparent—can be created much like skin’s subcutaneous and surface epidermis. Malleable and porous it can be poked, scraped, pocked, scratched, and even tattooed. Applied heat—in the form of a torch or heat gun—melts the encaustic wax and working the surface it is often in a fluid transitional state which makes it a very receptive medium. Wax also absorbs other mediums easily and allows for experimentation including painting, collaging, rubbing, embedding, fusing, transferring, etc. I research materials that have a lot of flexibility and wax/encaustic is one of them. From hard steely heavy metal to glassy ceramic to luminous and luxurious gold wax has strong potential for transformation.

ENCAUSTIC