Paint with Fire!
Introduction to Encaustics with debb gARTland
What is encaustic painting?
Encaustic wax is a historical painting technique where the wax is heated up and painted with. Encaustic paint is a combination of beeswax, pigment and a small amount of hardener (either dammar resin or carnauba wax). The paint is solid at room temperature so you need to melt it before it can be applied. Once on the support, it cools and hardens, and a heat tool is used to ensure that each layer is fused to the last. This makes it a very tactile working experience.
The technique of painting with molten wax was first recorded over 2000 years ago. The most well-known examples of the medium are Roman funerary portraits from 100-300 AD. Some of these paintings can be seen at the British Museum in London and the vibrancy of the paint is a testament to the longevity of the medium. The remarkably lifelike rendering of skin and hair shows the use of transparent glazing techniques in encaustic painting, long before they were used in the 15th Century in oil painting.
What is provided for you:
All equipment, tools, substrates, encaustic wax/paint and travel packaging
Your experimental encaustic pieces to take home
Tea, coffee, full cream milk, sugar and biscuits will be provided
What you need to bring:
- Optional mixed media materials – list will be provided to confirmed participants
- Lunch (if required) and water
- Note: As this introduction is only 3 hours, there will be no formal break for lunch. Participants are welcome to ‘eat on the go’ and to break as and when needed.
What you'll do:
The wax paint is solid at room temperature so you will melt it before it can be applied. A heat tool is used to ensure that each layer is fused to the last, this makes it a very tactile working experience. Deb will help you work with the wax and will provide the best tips on embedding images or small objects on the surface.
As encaustic wax is solid at room temperature, your work will be ready to travel when you are. No wet paint messes!
The fun of encaustic is that you can get marvellous special effects just by melting the colourful wax paint. It can be as simple or as detailed as you choose.
Who is debb gARTland?
deb gARTland is a self-taught traditional and contemporary fine art photographer, who goes around with a head full of high falutin’ ideas!
In 2019 Deb won the inaugural (acquisitive) Conceptual Photography Award - with a photo encaustic and mixed media piece. She won both overall winner and best entry by an Australian Photographic Society member.
Inspiration for Deb comes from the world around her, and she is particularly drawn to beaches, cliffs and the ocean. She thrives on the colours, textures and patterns in her life. Grandiose images and worlds fill Deb's nightmares and dreamscapes, and she likes to create visually confronting images with her photography. She is not a purist, and from very early in her career has been pushing herself to break the rules and challenge boundaries.
As an encaustic (hot wax painting) and mixed media artist, Deb incorporates her photography, mixed media and sculptural components in her encaustic paintings - thus creating pieces that are unique, textural and highly tactile. Having attended an encaustic workshop around 2017, Deb has never looked back from working with this medium.
debb gARTland
Artist & Photographer
debbgartland@gmail.com
https://gellibrandrivergallery.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/GellibrandRiverGallery/
https://www.instagram.com/gellibrand_river_gallery/
