Fly Free Dragonfly Print

My work combines photography and encaustic wax to create botanical photo encaustics. Encaustic, an ancient painting technique derived from the Greek word meaning “to burn in,” involves painting with molten beeswax and fusing each layer with heat. To create a stable and workable medium, the beeswax is blended with damar resin, which hardens and preserves the surface once cooled. This medium can be used in its natural form or mixed with pigments for added color. I photograph seasonal plants and flowers, most often from my own garden. Using white boxes and studio lighting, I capture detailed images, which are then printed onto a delicate, semi-transparent rice paper. These prints are layered onto prepared wood panels coated with encaustic gesso and wax. Multiple layers of hot wax medium are brushed onto the surface, creating a smooth, even base. I then embed the photographs into the wax, using a heat gun to fuse the paper seamlessly with the surface. Additional layers of molten wax are applied and fused, repeating the process many times until the image is fully sealed and integrated within the luminous wax surface.