encaustic process

The history of encaustic dates back over 2000 years ago. The word encaustic originates from the ancient Greek word
enkaustikos meaning “to heat” or “to burn.” Some of the earliest known encaustic works are the Fayum portraits from
Greco-Roman Egypt to the contemporary work of Jasper Johns, in particular his iconic targets and flags, that hang in
museums today.

The encaustic is made of beeswax and damar resin and pigment. The pigment comes in solid bars and the melted so that it
can be brushed or poured onto panels. A blowtorch or heat gun is then used to fuse each layer together. The work can be
process-intensive and some of my pieces can have as many as 20 layers of wax. I use a blowtorch to manuever the wax
around the surface, much like a painter uses a brush. I also experiment with heat guns, high wattage light bulbs and even
the outdoor sun to manuaver and fuse the wax.

Monotyping is a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, was
historically a copper etching plate, but for encaustics, I use a heated box (200 F) that has an anodize steel surface. The image
is then transferred onto a sheet of paper. Since I am working on a heated surface, I use Japanese brayers to "press" the paper
into the heated wax.

Unlike monoprinting, monotyping produces a unique print, or monotype, because most of the ink is removed during the initial
pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are called ghost
prints.Since monotypes are often spontaneously executed and with no previous sketch, I enjoy "drawing" on the heated
surface and adjusting the temperature to control the melting point of the wax.

The encaustic medium is particulary suited to my practice. The versatility of the medium was what first attracted me.I could
change from sculpture to printmaking to painting with all the same medium. But it was the "surprise" that I would get when I
would scrap back a layer, or keep the flame to close. Each "accident" was really an exploration.

I work with motlen beeswax that has damar resin added to it. When hardend, the surface can be buffed to create a high
shine that adds luster to the work. Each layer that I add, creates another dimension. Wether I am painting on the wax,
scaping and incising into the medium, or pouring it onto the surface, each time that I think I am doing it the same, produces
a unique and different outcome.