"The Artist's Assistant" 8x16 inch encaustic and gold leaf painting on wood panel. 2006. Original is sold. (I am searching for the digital scan for prints) Ahhh.... let me just say right now that I am VERY EXCITED. About four years ago, I fell in love with encaustic painting. There is something about the process of melting wax and carving, inscribing and transforming it into visual stories that just makes my heart sing. It's almost like cooking or... alchemy. And once I got started with it, I never wanted to stop.
But then I had to stop when I was pregnant with Annabelle... then Nicolas. And even before Nicolas, it just didn't seem feasible to paint with hot wax in an unventilated apartment in NYC with a toddler sharing my studio. And, over time, I put encaustic painting out of my mind. My style, though -- even using gel medium & acrylics -- did retain some of this influence.
Now, though, something very wonderful has happened. I've realized that I finally have a space to create my encaustic work again, and -- as a belated birthday present- -my husband has kindly helped me to re-furbish the tools that I left in Venice & sold in Melissa Moss's going away garage sale. The equipment arrived today, and I am looking forward to this renewed adventure.
