Strata Painting

I make my own paint using beeswax and damar resin mixed with raw pigment and have been been painting in the ancient medium of encaustic since 2007. . I exhibit regularly in group shows throughout New Zealand, and my work is available from several galleries. About Encaustic Although enjoying a current revival, encaustic is actually one of the world's most ancient and archival painting mediums. Encaustic works such as the Fayum portraits from over 2000 years ago still exist today, well-preserved without cracking, flaking or losing brilliance. Beeswax is combined with damar or other tree resins which provide the strength and hardness in the work while the wax creates transparency and luminosity. Working with a hot medium presents a challenge due to the constant metamorphosis of the wax via the heating and cooling process, demanding control unlike that of most other painting mediums. The hot wax is applied to a rigid ground and combined with graphite, charcoal, ink and pigments in multiple layers sealed in by the wax. It is this interplay between the layers which creates an enigmatic depth and translucency in the work, a luminosity not available through other mediums.