ArtWorks: In Finding My Voice with Encaustic

One of the hats I wear at Enkaustikos, where I work, is the demo artist hat. I like demonstrating the encaustic medium and explaining to people the various ways in which you can work with it. I like teaching and sharing what I know. Usually, in a demonstration I will start with the basic set up and introduce the fundamental principles of applying encaustic paint. As the questions come from the audience, I demonstrate a technique that supports the answer, and then another question, and then another demonstration, and so on.

Next thing you know, I have what I would call a story board. I have lots of story boards and each one has a certain something about them that is both planned and yet random.

I find that I am really attracted to the story board, they are sort of quilt like, which is very appealing to me, same with old game boards or anything that has a strong pattern that is softened in some way. I like the structure and the organic nature, simultaneously.

I tend to run my workshops in the same way, where I start with a demonstration and as the workshop evolves I demonstrate another technique, usually on the same piece. When the workshop is over, I will sit down to my palette and put the finishing touches on that story board.

There are times when I come to my palette and I really don’t know where to begin. In ways, it is hard to know what my art might look like if I weren’t demonstrating or teaching workshops. I am reminded of the way I used to study for tests when I was growing up. I would stand in front of my chalk board, and I became the teacher explaining to the imaginary class before me how to solve the math problem, or what the sequence of historical events were. It helped me learn, and maybe in that same way, it is the way in which I am finding my voice with encaustic.

Here are some more recent story boards I’d like to share.