It begins with thumbnail sketches.  Actually, it starts with a bit of research then sketches.

I then create stencils, prepare the hardboards with three coats of beeswax, carve the stencils into the wax…

add pretty papers…

and begin painting.  Once all the boards have first coats, I give them individual attention.

Finally, I add more collage components.

I’m taking a break right now because what usually happens is that I want to do everything right away instead of savoring the process.  Encaustic is not an instant gratification type thing.  And as much as I have the image of a finished product in my head, there are a lot of happy accidents that occur along the way.

What has already happened is the classic “I know what I don’t want” scenario.  The great thing about the wax is that it can be scraped off – chalk it up to a problem solving direction.

I love manufacturing a visual language that communicates my secrets and I  LOVE having the only key. <3