Exploring Techniques in Encaustic
Encaustic © Diane Duncan Calgary, AB 2012
Years ago I took a workshop that introduced me to encaustic. While intrigued I wasn’t particularly pleased with the pieces that I produced in the workshop and the teacher, who spent a lot of time talking about the creation of her encaustic medium, made it sound as though it was a very time intensive project. I must have had some lingering interest though because a year ago I bought Encaustic Workshop by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch. Leafing through the book at the time I thought to myself that it didn’t seem as difficult as I remembered and that I must give it another try when I had the workspace to do so.
Encaustic © Diane Duncan, Calgary, AB 2012
This fall I had the opportunity to join FOG (Fibre Optic Group – A Calgary-based fibre art and mixed media art group) and at the October session we had an opportunity to spend a day experimenting under the guidance of Arlene Westen Evans, an artist/gallery owner from High River AB. Evanescence Gallery and Art Studio is definitely on my list of places to visit.
It was a fun day – and we only set the fire alarm off once! It led to two more days of experimentation back at home – in my kitchen with windows open and exhaust fan working on high! I worked until my supply of beeswax was exhausted and I had completed seven ‘keeper’ pieces.
I’ve since added The Encaustic Studio: a wax workshop in mixed-media work by Daniella Woolf to my library! Guess there will be more encaustic in my future!