Encaustic is a Greek word
translated means “to burn in” natural
pigments are made from pure organic beeswax, mixed with dammar resin and fixed
with heat. The exact formula was lost until a modern chemist reinvented it in the
1940’s.
The earliest surviving
examples are the Fayum mummy portraits (300 B.C. to 100 A.D.), discovered near
Alexandria, Egypt where embalming was big business and lengthy process taking
70 days, the head and shoulder portraits of the individual was painted onto
wood panels for the mummy casing - an early Greek version of the funeral makeup
artist.
On a recent trip to Southern
California we visited the J. Paul Getty Museum; this marvelous museum contained
a room devoted to Fayum portraits and other fascinating funerary from Roman and
Egyptian culture. Alone in this room I felt a visceral connection to the long
dead people and the artists who faithfully tried to create a likeness of the
person, it was a rare glimpse into the faces and eyes of an ancient civilization
The earliest icons were
painted with encaustic wax.
Encaustic painting fell into
obscurity by the seventh century and was forgotten with the invention of more
practical methods such as oil and tempura. Electricity and pre-made pigments
have made encaustic more available to everyone. Now in the 21st
century encaustic is back in a big way!
The qualities of the artwork
that can be achieved with encaustics are unique. The beeswax is pure and
organic, perfect for artists concerned with the Green Revolution. The methods
are more like alchemy and magic than painting. It can be layered with
translucent pigments to mysteriously reveal what lies partially hidden, carved
back to reveal what is beneath. The depth and luminosity that can be achieved
is remarkable. Modern artists have taken
the wax to amazing places. It also appeals to artists who want to carve, sculpt
or collage.
As encaustic goes main-stream,
art collectors and galleries are becoming more interested in the medium.
Encaustic art is losing some of its novelty - which is good. Collectors will
not shy away from this medium as more people hear about it and understand its
unique qualities which include durability and permanence.
My mission is to spread the
“cult of the wax” so, fired up with enthusiasm! I will be teaching a 1 ½ day workshop Artist
Technique, Experimentation and Enlightenment in Encaustic paints at the
Machetanz Art Festival at Mat-Su College June 3rd and 4th
… Bring your ephemera, sacred objects, photographs and I’ll bring mine, together we’ll create
some art, imagination and willingness are all that is required.
Studio: (907) 355-2219
