The Painting Process

In its simplest form encaustic is painting with beeswax and fire. Unlike traditional painting from wet to dry the encaustic technique is hot to cold. Each layer of wax must be fused to the previous using fire or heat as the catalyst. Therefore the art process itself is at times unpredictable, unrepeatable, temperamental and totally captivating.

My artworks are organic, I like to keep things natural from the materials I use, to the practice itself. I take inspiration from nature; colour, form and texture and I love to research ancient techniques and tools and then experiment with this new found knowledge in my pieces.

I hand make the surfaces for painting out of birch wood, for its capacity to receive the hot wax, and meranti for its light weight and beautiful colour. This fits in with my philosophy that every part of the process is a unique part of the artwork itself.

The edges of my cradle boards are treated with a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation called Yakisugi. By charring the surface of the wood without combusting the whole piece, the wood becomes water-proof through carbonisation and is therefore more durable. It also protects against insects, as well as making it fire retardant.

These processes give me complete creative freedom and allow me to maintain a sustainable art practice keeping waste to a very minimum. All work is finished with a homemade beeswax, olive and essential oil furniture polish.

The whole process is a delight to the senses!