I work with encaustic (melted beeswax and damar resin) and cold wax (beeswax mixed with solvent) with various other media including water and alcohol based ink, shellac, dry pigment, graphite, oil stick and oil paint. I use a heat gun, butane torch, scrapers, sculpting tools, and sanders to manipulate the surface of my paintings.
Working in encaustic and cold wax is a bit like baking: They require a certain method and order to how other media and pigments are utilized. Each painting has many under layers of various colors, textures and materials; I use the tools above to add interest to the surface and selectively excavate areas to reveal its history.
For me, painting is like a road trip – a journey with an unknown destination. I begin my process with a rough map of general shapes, marks, or other compositional elements. As the piece progresses, I develop forms, color schemes and ideas that resonate with me. I let the painting evolve into what it wants to be. As in life, chance and random luck sometimes play a role, too. Throughout this process, intuition is in the driver’s seat.