Artist Statement

Encaustic art is a mirror image of life. Just as we are born as a blank canvas, encaustic art begins with a blank surface, prepared with three layers of gesso. Each layer represents the early stages of our lives—our parents, immediate environment, and the people who shape us. These layers, carefully applied and sanded down, symbolise how life grinds, smooths, and shapes us through these foundational influences.

Once the gesso is complete, the first three layers of encaustic—white or translucent hot wax—are applied. Each layer must be melted to its liquid state and fused into the one below it. This process mirrors how human interactions become burnt into our memories—positive, negative, joyful, or painful. These layers are not separate but interconnected, forming the base upon which our unique stories are built.

With the foundational layers complete, the process of actual painting begins—a process as intricate and involved as life itself. The wax must first be melted with damar resin, then shaped and formed into solid blocks, which are left to dry. These blocks are later remelted and mixed with raw pigments, creating the colours that will define the piece. Some colours are mixed with more wax to soften their intensity, while others remain bold and vibrant. This variation is symbolic of how some life experiences leave vivid marks, while others fade into softer memories.

The painting itself is built in layers. A layer of hot wax is added to the board and melted again. Just like in life, sometimes too many harsh words or negative experiences create darkness within us. Research shows we need one positive comment to counteract 38 negative ones, yet so many of us grow up surrounded by rejection, fear, and the longing to be accepted. In life, as in encaustic painting, these layers of negativity can obscure the truth about who we are, leaving us unable to see our own light.

But just as the encaustic wax reacts to heat, melting and blending into one another, life’s challenges often overlap, creating a muddled confusion—much like too many colours melting together can turn into a dark, messy brown. In these moments, the artist has the choice to scrape away the top layers. The dark layers can be removed to reveal the light underneath, which has always been there, waiting to shine.

The act of scraping away reflects another truth about life: we don’t always have to do it alone. Just as we can choose to scrape away our own darkness, we can allow others to speak into our lives, helping us see the light within ourselves.

The beauty of encaustic art lies in its honesty—it reveals the whole person, the good and the bad—but ultimately, the light always comes through.

The encaustic painting also mirrors the complexity of the human experience. Just as each person is composed of many layers and facets, encaustic art is built layer upon layer. The translucency of the wax reflects this depth; the more translucent the encaustic, the more lifelike it becomes. With each touch of the artist’s hand, the wax grows more transparent, inviting viewers to see themselves in its depth and light.