Encaustic Painting!
A New Passion for an Ancient Medium
Over the past decade, I have noticed a small, yet growing movement away from computers, microwaves, machine-produced goods, moving towards hand-made, slow-cooked, traditional, organic ways. This is also becoming evident in many artists' personal practices, where they are looking to traditional techniques to apply to their work. Which brings us to the revival of encaustic painting. "Encaustic. What's that? Painting with molten wax? Never heard of it. Did you just make this up?"
Encaustic painting goes back to around 300 BC, in Egypt, where it was a common practice to paint a representation of a person who had died. This painting was placed on the coffin and was essential for the deceased to be recognized by Osiris and taken to the afterworld. Since then though, there have been few artists who have chosen to paint in encaustic.
If you have never seen an encaustic painting, you really should. And not just a reproduction in a book, because nothing is like seeing — and smelling — it in real life. Most people comment on the texture and richness of the paintings, which really cannot be achieved in any other medium. The way the light refracts through the translucent layers of wax gives a sense of luminosity and living quality to the painting. It is also a very versatile medium. Depending on the temperature of your wax, you can achieve finer detail or thicker textures. It is also a fantastic binder for collage by sealing items like paper, leaves, fabric, etc. between layers of wax.
My involvement with encaustic is simple: I love it, I use it and I can't see myself using anything else. I started painting with encaustic 15 years ago and have gone through many phases over that time. I have used the wax loosely, allowing it to move on the surface freely as a molten medium. I have painted high realism portraiture, challenging myself to find a balance between controlling the medium while allowing it to do what it wanted. Most recently, I have been using encaustic with collage elements, fusing my photos, which have been transferred onto rice paper, in between layers of wax mixed with pigment. This has allowed me to find a different language in my paintings, bringing realism and abstraction together in harmony as one complete image.
Many people with whom I speak about encaustic say that I am crazy to use it, as it's so toxic! This is actually incorrect. As with all art materials, we need to be aware of the elements which make up our paints and mediums and take the appropriate steps to ensure that our studios are properly equipped. With encaustic, using the right tools, having a proper ventilation system and watching the temperature of your wax are all easy ways to keep your practice safe. It is not an easy medium to use — it takes time, practice and patience but anyone who is an encaustic painter will tell you that it is worth it!
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