An Encaustic Artist
I consider myself as an Encaustic Artist, I have used other forms of medium over the fifty or more years that I have been painting, however Encaustics is my proffered medium I choose now, I would even go so far as to say I am addicted to this medium.
I was born in Manchester UK some years ago, I have lived in Australia all my life less 4 years.
Never had any university training in the Arts, never done any Arts degree, simply learned all I know from DOING IT and the more I did it (ART) the more I liked it and found ways and means to improve with every brush stroke, timber cut or welding rod burnt.
My Encaustic addiction all started when I was a tad bored one night on my laptop May 2014 I started looking at YouTube videos, Vimeo videos on the latest art work around the net, I stumbled onto what seemed to me to be my own work but “how did it get out there as I never made it so” the work was similar but not quite the same. What I did find however made me more and more curious as to what this medium was; all I could do for some days was look more and more into Encaustics and the work of Encaustics out on the net.
My mystic series in acrylic kept me going for some years, the lines of new paints kept changing with other new colours coming into use, vibrant Fluoro and Metallic Acrylics and luminescent and sparkle paints.
My landscapes in water colour and gauche I did in the bush on trips away from my studio where getting harder to make as there was not much money coming in to travel.
Back when it all started.
I started to paint when I was a little fella about seven or so, the lady that lived on a farm next to us was an Art teacher, I sat with her on weekends and she tutored me a little on using oils.
I loved Art at school and took on many metal work and woodwork lessons as well as Arts lessons in the short time I did attend school, but my heart was in traveling and finding out more about life as it was.
I started to work around 15 to 16 years of age it was around this time I moved on from painting for a time until I was 19 or 20 in the hippie movement in South Australia, made some paintings selling them in the markets and such just to survive. At the end of the 1960s I found myself once again on the road wondering like a gipsy working from job to job living on the land and off the land, painting now and then but not selling, however keeping the flame of being an Artist one day going in my mind and in my heart.
My late 30s early 40 years of age found myself starting to settle down a little living a very bohemian life in the Great Northern Territory out back, always my hands anxious to set to work on some art of some kind, timber sculptures from found wood in the bush, still doing water colour and or gouache, photographing my art all the time.
It is my sincere desire to share my artwork with you and every one along my path. Each painting and piece of art has the potential to make a special connection with someone that I meet along my life journey. I hope that special connection with that unique piece of art is with you or that special person with you.
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which coloured pigments are added. The liquid or paste is then applied to a surface usually prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used.
The simplest encaustic mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other recipes that can be used, some containing other types of waxes, damar resin, linseed oil, or other ingredients. Pure, powdered pigments can be used, though some mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment.
Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Today, tools such as heat lamps, heat guns, and other methods of applying heat allow artists to extend the amount of time they have to work with the material. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to stick them to the surface.
I consider myself as an Encaustic Artist, I have used other forms of medium over the fifty or more years that I have been painting, however Encaustics is my proffered medium I choose now, I would even go so far as to say I am addicted to this medium.
I was born in Manchester UK some years ago, I have lived in Australia all my life less 4 years.
Never had any university training in the Arts, never done any Arts degree, simply learned all I know from DOING IT and the more I did it (ART) the more I liked it and found ways and means to improve with every brush stroke, timber cut or welding rod burnt.
My Encaustic addiction all started when I was a tad bored one night on my laptop May 2014 I started looking at YouTube videos, Vimeo videos on the latest art work around the net, I stumbled onto what seemed to me to be my own work but “how did it get out there as I never made it so” the work was similar but not quite the same. What I did find however made me more and more curious as to what this medium was; all I could do for some days was look more and more into Encaustics and the work of Encaustics out on the net.
My mystic series in acrylic kept me going for some years, the lines of new paints kept changing with other new colours coming into use, vibrant Fluoro and Metallic Acrylics and luminescent and sparkle paints.
My landscapes in water colour and gauche I did in the bush on trips away from my studio where getting harder to make as there was not much money coming in to travel.
Back when it all started.
I started to paint when I was a little fella about seven or so, the lady that lived on a farm next to us was an Art teacher, I sat with her on weekends and she tutored me a little on using oils.
I loved Art at school and took on many metal work and woodwork lessons as well as Arts lessons in the short time I did attend school, but my heart was in traveling and finding out more about life as it was.
I started to work around 15 to 16 years of age it was around this time I moved on from painting for a time until I was 19 or 20 in the hippie movement in South Australia, made some paintings selling them in the markets and such just to survive. At the end of the 1960s I found myself once again on the road wondering like a gipsy working from job to job living on the land and off the land, painting now and then but not selling, however keeping the flame of being an Artist one day going in my mind and in my heart.
My late 30s early 40 years of age found myself starting to settle down a little living a very bohemian life in the Great Northern Territory out back, always my hands anxious to set to work on some art of some kind, timber sculptures from found wood in the bush, still doing water colour and or gouache, photographing my art all the time.
It is my sincere desire to share my artwork with you and every one along my path. Each painting and piece of art has the potential to make a special connection with someone that I meet along my life journey. I hope that special connection with that unique piece of art is with you or that special person with you.
Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which coloured pigments are added. The liquid or paste is then applied to a surface usually prepared wood, though canvas and other materials are often used.
The simplest encaustic mixture can be made from adding pigments to beeswax, but there are several other recipes that can be used, some containing other types of waxes, damar resin, linseed oil, or other ingredients. Pure, powdered pigments can be used, though some mixtures use oil paints or other forms of pigment.
Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the wax once it has cooled onto the surface. Today, tools such as heat lamps, heat guns, and other methods of applying heat allow artists to extend the amount of time they have to work with the material. Because wax is used as the pigment binder, encaustics can be sculpted as well as painted. Other materials can be encased or collaged into the surface, or layered, using the encaustic medium to stick them to the surface.
Encaustic Art NT from BuffalosTopEndArts