Encaustic

Artist Statement : Encaustic

I am an artist working primarily with photography and encaustic beeswax. Through my camera, I collect the beautiful colors and textures of daily life. When I take photographs, even highly abstracted ones, they hold powerful memories of when, where, and why.

I am especially interested in the elasticity of light as it dances around shadow and reflection. Capturing light is sometimes ethereal and sometimes edgy. It is intriguing how the camera lens “sees” differently than the eye.

My method of developing photography involves transferring the ink from my prints onto cradled panels and saturating with encaustic. This creates soft imagery with a luminous glow and aromatic scent of beeswax.

The transfer process makes me feel connected to my artwork. My hands are on every print, smoothing and burnishing and revealing the final imagery. The rhythm becomes a moving meditation. Each transfer is unique, an absolute one of a kind. The transfer process literally transforms the original image into something new.

Layers of encaustic illuminate the imagery and lend visual depth and texture to the photographs. It is the perfect finishing touch. Beeswax has a very sensuous surface, yet it is also highly archival and durable.

Selected work is featured. To see a portfolio of available and sold collections, please visit my Collections page.

To view my artist video, read my biographical article, or see upcoming classes, please visit my Artist page.

Selected Exhibitions

2018 Perfect Imperfection, Embracing Wabi Sabi: Southern Highland Craft Guild, Asheville NC

2018 Arrowmont School Art Instructor Exhibition: Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg TN

2018 Sometimes, Small Group Invitational Exhibit: Artist Talk and Demo with Erin Keane at A Closer Look: Cabarrus Arts Council, Concord NC

2018 March Art Madness, The Gallery Floorboards: The Gallery at Flat Rock, Flat Rock NC

2018 Paper View, Pop Up Shop: Atrium Gallery at The Bascom Center for Visual Arts, Highlands NC

2018 Member Exhibition, juried by Candace Reilly, assistant director and curator at Blue Spiral 1 Gallery: Asheville Area Arts Council, Asheville NC

2017 Design Vignette, curated by Matt Tommey, with Platt Architecture and Ann Sherrill Interior Design: Southern Highland Craft Fair, Asheville NC

2017 Art in Bloom, collaborating artists and florists: juried by Michael Sherrill, artist in clay, metal, and glass: The Gallery at Flat Rock, Flat Rock NC

2017 Navigating Our Humanity: Focus Gallery, Southern Highland Craft Guild, Asheville NC

2016 Fellowship, Collaboration with artist Sue Grier: Southern Highland Craft Guild, Asheville NC

2015 Seven Degrees of Connection, Collaborative: Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch, Michelle Belto, Crystal Neubauer, Susan Stover, Shary Bartlett, Amanda Jolley: Dumas Bay Centre, Federal Way WA