These mixed media artworks are made with the medium of encaustic. Encaustic is a very ancient and beautiful method of creating luminous, layered paintings from pigmented molten wax. Encaustics have been used for making paintings since the 1st century BC in Egypt. The word encaustic comes from the Greek word “enkaustikos”, meaning “to burn in” because each layer of melted wax must be fused to the one underneath with heat. Encaustic paintings are very durable as the wax is impervious to moisture. The Fayum mummy portraits created in Egypt have survived intact for hundreds of years.

Encaustics are well suited for mixed media work as objects may be embedded in the wax. In these encaustic works I use hand made papers, foils, fabrics and other collage materials. I employ drawing and image transfer techniques as well as painting with the pigmented wax.