THE MAGICAL MEDIUM

No I am not talking about someone clairvoyant, I am talking about encaustic, an ancient and almost mystical art medium that dates back over 3,000 years to the ancient Greeks.

Encaustic painting combines two main ingredients: beeswax and damar resin.  Damar, used in crystal form, is a sap from a tree native to Malaysia. It is one of the most sustainable resins available today, thanks to harvesting methods that don't harm the tree itself. When melted together with beeswax, damar resin makes the wax harder, more durable and raises its melting point to about 200F (93C)-perfect for art that's meant to last.

This medium is non-toxic, though good ventilation is recommended. The beautiful part? No respirator required. We encaustic artists don't work with traditional "wet and dry"-we work "hot and cold." Heat is essential. It is used to fuse each layer, transforming pigmented wax into luminous, richly textured paintings.

Unlike acrylic or oil paints, encaustic must be applied to a rigid, absorbent surface-like wood. It can't go on canvas, because the flexibility would cause the wax to crack and flake.

Historically, encaustic was used to paint portraits, mythical scenes, and to decorate marble, terra-cotta, ivory-even waterproof ships. Today, it's still relatively unknown, but it's steadily gaining recognition for its strength, versatility and luminous beauty.

And for me? It's magic.