What is Encaustic Art?Encaustic painting is an ancient painting technique which combines beeswax, damar resin and then either oil paint or natural powdered pigments to give it color.
Encaustic wax is a hot wax method where the medium (beeswax and resin) is heated to around 170 degrees Fahrenheit, and then color is added to make a hot paint. In paintings, artists typically paint on wood or canvas. Encaustic is primarily composed of two main components - natural beeswax and damar resin, which is a crystallized tree sap. These ingredients form the basis of the encaustic medium. When used alone, encaustic can showcase its inherent qualities of transparency and adhesive properties. Additionally, the medium has the capability of being pigmented. Artists have the option to either add pigments to the encaustic medium themselves or purchase pre-colored encaustic mediums that already contain traditional artist pigments. In my work as a sculptural basketry artist, I paint the encaustic wax directly on my baskets to create a unique surface treatment. I am honored to have one of my encaustic wax sculptures included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Encaustic Art. |