Encaustic is an ancient painting medium primarily made of beeswax, tree resin and natural pigments added for color. This wax-based material is difficult to manipulate and somewhat unpredictable… which is precisely why encaustic captivates my imagination as an artist. Many layers of heated wax are applied to wood panels and fused after each layer with a torch, heat gun or iron. Texture is created by gouging, scraping and building up additional layers, producing images of landscapes and other natural scenes. I incorporate mixed media such as oils, pastels and shellac into my paintings to add texture and a unique design. My work borders between Painterly and Impressionism, emphasizing the character of the wax and pigments, freely brushing colors over lines and contours. Every work of art becomes personalized to each viewer through a phenomenon known as Pareidolia, much like the act of cloud gazing, where you see elements and forms that aren’t actually there.