Storytellers: Blue Painting

This is a heavily textured encaustic painting of an abstract tree. Many layers of colored waxes and oil paints were applied and merged together with a blowtorch. The many layers created incredible textures and depth. The tree is an image from my imagination. I hope the viewer is drawn into the painting through the highlights and shadows of the wax peaks and feels whimsy and relaxation. The painting is framed with a 1.75" handmade black wood frame. Picture wire is attached to the back for ease of hanging. ABOUT ENCAUSTIC: Encaustic is a mixture of beeswax, damar resin, and oil paints. Wax is melted and applied wet onto a wood board. Each layer is fused with a blow torch to merge the levels together. The translucency of the wax allows for great depth and textures. SIGNATURE: My full signature, date, and title of the painting are on the back. LONGEVITY: Encaustic painting has a long history, dating back to the 5th Century B.C. The word encaustic means to burn in, which refers to the process of fusing the paint. Beeswax is impervious to moisture, it will not deteriorate, it will not yellow or darken. Encaustic paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass. HOW TO CARE: • Hang and store at normal room temperatures. Avoid freezing and extremely hot temperatures; wax will melt at 150°F / 65°C. • Keep all artwork out of direct sunlight. • During the first 6-12 months, as the wax cures, an encaustic painting may develop bloom. Bloom is a naturally occurring hazy white residue. It may also occur if a painting is exposed to cold. Bloom can easily be removed by buffing the surface of the painting. • Encaustic paintings can be buffed to a high gloss using a soft, lint-free cloth or pantyhose. If the original sheen has become dull over time, it can be brought back by repeating the buffing process. • Once an encaustic painting has fully cured and hardened, it will shed dust and dirt more readily.