I am inspired by nature and fascinated by its magnitude of colours and textures. Obsessed with detail, I often find myself looking at objects in nature closely, captivated by intricate shapes, lines, variations of colour and translucency. I think this is why I like to work in abstract as I find that it allows me to work intuitively, fully entrenched in the creative process allowing each piece to be discovered organically. My encaustic paintings are rich in that visual and tactile expression. With every layer of encaustic paint and shellac you see texture, depth, and luminosity.
Elena's work is created with Encaustic, an ancient medium made by combining damar resin and beeswax. The word "encaustic" comes from Ancient Greek "enkaustikos" which means "to burn in", refering to the process of fusing the paint with heat.
Encaustic is a very durable medium. Beeswax is impervious to moisture. It will not deteriorate, yellow or darken with time. Encaustic paintings do not need to be varnished or protected with glass. While encaustic is the most archival of all media, special care is required for the painting surface.
Damar is a natural tree resin from Indonesia, it acts as a hardening agent and it elevates the melting temperature of beeswax.
Dry powdered pigments are added to encaustic medium to create encaustic paint.
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and comes in the form of flakes which then dissolved in alcohol to liquify it. It is used to achieve the reticulation which creates that beautiful and delicate lace-like texture.
This medium is nuanced which allows Elena to give up control and create intuitively.