Encaustic Art

When I learned encaustic*, it was love at first play—for this is what this medium brings to me, a sense of whimsy and play. It is so unlike any other medium, very unpredictable, somewhat uncontrollable. I often start a painting having no idea what I will do or where it will go—I explore and trust and enjoy the process. I’m constantly surprised to see what happens. Working this way is a welcome change from the precision and patience required when painting realism with oils.

Encaustic Slideshow

*Encaustic or Hot Wax painting was developed in Ancient Greece and is the oldest known painting medium. Used for both easel painting and murals, encaustic literally means “burning in”. Pigment is added to molten bees wax, which is then applied to a surface. As molten bees wax cools very quickly, it “freezes” as it is applied. The layers are then fused together using a hot air gun or sometimes a blow torch.

Of course, such modern implements were not available in Ancient Greece where they used coal braziers. Despite their crude tools Greek artists created detailed, realistic portraits. A cache of portraits from a community of Greeks living in the Fayum region of Egypt has yielded the largest and oldest example of encaustic portraiture. Dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. these funeral portraits were painted from life or at the time of death and placed as a memorial on the sarcophagus of the deceased. Wikipedia has several Fayum Mummy Portraits on their site along with more extensive information on Encaustic.