Theresa MacKnight
Fine Art
Contact: tandsm@nbnet.nb.ca
Encaustics
Encaustics is a medium which has been around since the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used it for funeral portraits.In the middle ages it was used for Byzantine icons.It is a unique medium with excellent permanence and a special luminosity which I find irresistible.
I first discovered encaustics in the 1980's when I was still at N.S.C.A.D. At the time there was very little information available to me. Several of my early recipes contained solvents and nearly went up in smoke (literally). I abandoned the practice for the sake of my health until 3 years ago when I became determined to find a new, all natural recipe.With the help of "Formulas for Painters" by Robert Massey and through trial and error, I found a method that worked for me and was safe to use in my home. I later discovered, through internet search, that an increasing number of artists were using very the similar methods and recipes.
For those who have never seen the process, the paint must be heated before it can be applied to rigid panels. As the painting is developed, each layer of paint must be "burned in" to the layer below to ensure proper adherence of layers. I find the process to be extremely satisfying. Materials can be embedded into the wax and dimension can be added through scraping and incising with a variety of implements. In short, it is a very tactile, almost sculptural medium.For more information, please feel free to contact me directly. tandsm@nbnet.nb.ca
I first discovered encaustics in the 1980's when I was still at N.S.C.A.D. At the time there was very little information available to me. Several of my early recipes contained solvents and nearly went up in smoke (literally). I abandoned the practice for the sake of my health until 3 years ago when I became determined to find a new, all natural recipe.With the help of "Formulas for Painters" by Robert Massey and through trial and error, I found a method that worked for me and was safe to use in my home. I later discovered, through internet search, that an increasing number of artists were using very the similar methods and recipes.
For those who have never seen the process, the paint must be heated before it can be applied to rigid panels. As the painting is developed, each layer of paint must be "burned in" to the layer below to ensure proper adherence of layers. I find the process to be extremely satisfying. Materials can be embedded into the wax and dimension can be added through scraping and incising with a variety of implements. In short, it is a very tactile, almost sculptural medium.For more information, please feel free to contact me directly. tandsm@nbnet.nb.ca
