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The following paintings are a series I am currently working on in beeswax and damar resin.The process of painting with molten, pigmented beeswax is an age old technique dating back to Egyptian times (400 BC) Encaustic painting is currently enjoying a renewed popularity and many mixed media artists are experimenting with it. I love working on the malleable surface of the wax, it enables me to build up a textured 3D surface on a traditional 2D support. These encaustic paintings have been selected for the Sevier County Biennial Juried Exhibition. The opening reception will be January 9, 2009. The Exhibition runs January 9 - February 21 at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.



Tryptych 4" x 12" x 1 1/2"
Encaustic and Oil on canvas

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These details show a closeup view of the panels. I used 3 separate canvases attached together to form the triptych. They measure 4" x 12" x 1 1/2 each. Each one was under painted with oil first , then the encaustic paint applied. They were completely finished before they were joined together.I pressed a heated metal paperclip into the wax while it was warm to get the circular impression on the lower one. The recesses were then filled with burnt sienna oil paint stick.