Demo Video: Encaustic Medium

R&F Encaustic Medium is composed of 100% USP beeswax and damar resin. It is available in 1 lb., 2 lb., 5 lb., and 10 lb. bags, as well as 333 ml cakes.

Encaustic medium is an essential component to encaustic painting. It can be used underneath a painting to build up the surface of your substrate, added to paint to extend it or create a glaze, or cast and sculpted in any number of ways. In our latest demo video we highlight basic application, as well as a technique using tape and medium to create a clean edge on the surface of your encaustic painting.

Materials used in this demo video include: R&F heat gun; R&F 16" x 16" heated palette; R&F hake brushes; R&F encaustic paint in the following colors - King's Blue and Phthalo Turquoise; R&F encaustic medium; painter's tape; and Ampersand Encausticbord.

To begin working with encaustic medium, melt some using a palette cup or sprinkle it directly on your heated palette. Before applying a layer of medium, warm your panel or painting so that your wax flows smoothly across the surface.

R&F encaustic paint is highly pigmented. Encaustic medium can be added to either opaque or transparent colors to create beautiful glazes and extend colors. If your paint feels thick, try adding some medium. Adding medium to paint helps encaustic paint to flow more smoothly. The more medium you add, the more see through your paint will become.

R&F encaustic paint is highly pigmented. Encaustic medium can be added to either opaque or transparent colors to create beautiful glazes and extend colors. If your paint feels thick, try adding some medium.

Encaustic medium can be used to create clear layers between sections of your painting, preserving marks, drawings, and other imagery below. Because encaustic is not clear, but has a natural opacity to it, how you use it will affect the appearance of your work. For greater clarity and less opacity, apply thin layers. To make marks recede, creating a sense of optical depth, apply thicker layers.

There are many uses for encaustic medium. Encaustic medium can be used to help seal the edges of tape before applying encaustic paint to create a clean line or edge. This is best done as a surface technique because you cannot maintain that clean edge if you apply heat or additional layers of medium to it.

Here are the steps:

1. Lightly warm the surface of your painting.

2. Apply blue painter’s tape (or other easily removable low tack tape).

3. Brush a layer or two of encaustic medium across the section where you will be painting. Be sure the medium covers the lip of tape completely. If you apply more than one layer, fuse carefully to be sure you have bonded both layers to the layer below. (If you fuse too much, the tape might lift from the surface and allow medium to travel underneath.)

4. Apply one or two layers of encaustic paint and fuse lightly.

5. Allow the paint to cool slightly before removing the tape. If you remove the tape while the painting is still very hot, some of the paint underneath sections of tape may come up as well. Allowing the painting to cool down for 10 to 20 minutes will enable you to remove the tape easily. (Don’t leave the tape on overnight or your paint might chip and crack when you remove it.)

We hope you are enjoying these demo videos. If you have ideas about what you’d like to see, give us a shout at office@rfpaints.com.

Enjoy and keep painting.

International Workshops: Bettina Egli Sennhauser & Kunstfreiraum

Bettina Egli Sennhauser, Kukkaniitty, 2021, encaustic collage on panel, 40 x 40 cm

R&F is fortunate to partner with a number of instructors around the world. Bettina Egli Sennhauser is one of those artists. As part of our ongoing international focus, we are spotlighting her teaching studio Kunstfreiraum in Switzerland.

Please tell us a bit about yourself? What did you do before you taught? 

Portrait of Bettina Egli Sennhauser taken by Andrea Antosikova.

I was raised in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and live with my husband and our two cats. My professional life is quite a journey and includes some trial and error. I worked at a hotel and as a tour guide in my early twenties. At 24, I began studying law and served as a practicing corporate lawyer for about 10 years. In 2008, I went independent, recruiting and coaching lawyers.

I have always needed sports; nature; and mindful, creative activity to balance corporate life. I love Ikebana and Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), which I still practice. Since 2008, I deepened my art practice with study at a number of art academies in different countries. For many years now, painting is what I enjoy and practice most. 

In 2020, I opened my teaching studio - Kunstfreiraum - near Basel in Switzerland. In 2021, I was accepted by the renowned Swiss Professional Association of Female Visual Artists, founded in 1902, in recognition of my work.

Bettina Egli Sennhauser, Upbeat, 2021, encaustic photo collage on aluminum, 15 x 40 cm. I took the photos in this collage in 2018 at the Zurich airport waiting for my flight to Boston to attend the International Encaustic Conference for the first time.

How long have you been working with encaustic? What ideas are you exploring in your work?

I turned from acrylic paint to working with natural materials early on in my evolution as a painter. My love of experimentation and getting my hands dirty lead me to use materials such as lime putty, marble dust, cement, and plaster. I combined them with self-made casein and oil and wax paints and ended up with Fresco techniques. The works became haptic, and I appreciated the serendipity of the material's natural cracks and structures.  

Bettina Egli Sennhauser, Untitled, 2020, encaustic on cradled panel, 15 x 15 cm.

Thanks to a lot of YouTube research, I discovered the American way of working with encaustic in 2016, which is still not widely known in Europe. Unable to find like-minded artists in Europe, I attended the International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown for the first time in 2018 - an eye-opening experience. I was overwhelmed with the versatility of encaustic work and artists and have been hooked ever since.

Upon my return I co-founded the European Encaustic Artist (EEA) Facebook Community. I also served as one of the initiators of the Transatlantic Fusion 21 Project, a collaboration between New England Wax (NEW) and EEA, which will be shown at the International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown this summer.

My approach to my work is mindful and process-oriented. It is about being in the moment and in touch with the painting and myself - letting my inner visions and stories come to life through the process. 

When did you begin teaching?

I have been teaching since 2018, coaching individuals with no or little encaustic painting experience to believe in their creativity and, in the best case, jumpstart their art journey. In my studio, I offer two-day encaustic workshops in German and English. (French and Italian are also possible.) In 2022, I will begin teaching at two art academies in Germany. 

My students are experienced painters interested in learning a new technique. For me, it is essential to teach them the fundamentals and at the same time encourage them to combine and use them in a playful, unintentional way. Being used to mastering the painting process, these students have high expectations and are surprised by how different the painting process is compared to acrylics for example. I think my best quality is helping them step out of their comfort zones, offering a safe space to experiment, discover what was already in them, and coaching them through this process. I am always amazed how versatile the works created in the workshops turn out.

View of Kunstfreiraum studio in Switzerland.

Describe your studio. What can students expect to find if they come to study with you?

My studio is just outside Basel in Switzerland and, to my knowledge, it is the first fully equipped teaching space for encaustic in the German-speaking part of Europe. As encaustic is barely known in Europe, I felt it essential to create a space for students to experience and experiment with it before investing in needed materials. Any new student can drop in, get started, and find out what it feels like.

Approximately 1,100 square feet, the studio offers 6 - 8 working spaces equipped with aluminum hotplates, brushes, torches, and many other tools needed. R&F has very generously supported my workshops with paint, which is terrific and helps a lot. 

Detail shot. Kunstfreiraum studio.

As soon as traveling is more manageable again, I am looking forward to welcoming more international encaustic artists to teach in my studio. Janise Yntema, who lives in Brussels, will offer a workshop titled "From 2D to 3D: Expanding the Narrative of Colour and Form” in April 2022.

Can you share about your instructional videos? Are they available for purchase? What language are they in?

I produced a comprehensive “Encaustic Online Workshop” in German with my husband. The workshop includes five hours of detailed instructions, split into 35 lessons covering materials and where to find them, resources, setting up a working station, safety, basic and advanced painting techniques, and a couple of exercises. In addition, I meet with students every month via Zoom. I discuss work, answer questions, invite guest artists to inspire the group and experts to advise on legal questions, and promote and sell artwork. 

Besides the comprehensive course, I offer shorter videos on specific techniques. Currently we are working on an introductory workshop on Cold Wax. All content is in German and range between $30 to $550. A list of new videos is planned for 2022.

Bettina (right) with a student.

If an international student wants to study with you, do you make arrangements to stay somewhere? Are there accommodations nearby?

Yes, absolutely. We are working on a list of recommendations in different price segments. Basel offers a wide choice of accommodations and cultural activities. You will find a lot of inspiration and not a dull moment.

With 200,000 residents, Basel is Switzerland's third-largest city, and I would say the most essential art city presenting 40 museums.

To learn more about Bettina’s online content, visit kurse.kunstfreiraum.ch/s/kunstfreiraum. Interested in visiting Switzerland and taking a workshop? Go to kunstfreiraum.ch/workshops-uebersicht.

Artist Spotlight: Margaret Ryall

Margaret Ryall, On Top of The World, collaged encaustic monoprints.

Margaret Ryall, Composition in time #22, 16” x 16”, found wood and metal, 2016

Margaret Ryall is a Canadian artist living in St. John's, Newfoundland. After a fulfilling career as an educator, Margaret shifted her focus to visual art and has participated in group and solo shows since 2001. Her summers spent on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Duntara, NL have had a profound impact on her artistic practice.

Her recent work in wood assemblage and collage invites viewers to look more deeply into forgotten fragments of the past and to consider how the power and majesty of the ocean affects our lives in many ways. Margaret is an ardent arts advocate and has served on the board of several arts groups including Bonavista Biennale. She is represented by The Leyton Gallery of Fine Art, St. John's, NL.

Margaret Ryall, Composition in time #27, 16” x 16”, found wood, 2016

Margaret Ryall, Moon Magic, encaustic monotype, 8.5" x 8.5".

Margaret's experience of working with encaustic. 

"My first introduction to encaustic and R&F Handmade Paints was in 2009 when Laura Moriarity  came to Newfoundland to teach an encaustic workshop at Torbay Bight Studio. At the time encaustic was a totally new medium to me and I didn't know what to expect. It was a magical four days and by the end I was hooked. I came away from that workshop  with a good understanding of the basics and used the R&F's website and videos to extend my learning.  

Encaustic is such a manipulative medium with so many applications. Incising, scraping, layering, and embedding, as well as painting and monotype all appealed to my desire to leave my mark on work in a variety of ways. These possibilities allowed me to continue my work in mixed media and create multilayered works with wonderful transparency and depth.

Margaret Ryall, Light over the Bay, Duntara, collaged encaustic monotype, 16" x 16".

Encaustic monotype became a favorite, and after much experimentation I developed techniques that enable me to create both abstract work and realistic landscapes. In a natural progression from monotype I used the prints in collage, my current focus.

Over the years I have tried different brands of encaustic, and while I have adopted several colors to add to my palette, I remain a die-hard fan of R&F Handmade Paints. The pigments are so strong and luscious."

To view additional work by Margaret Ryall, visit her website: margaretryall.com.

Color Mixing with Julie Snidle and Dietlind Vander Schaaf

Julie Snidle’s sampler board using Paynes Grey, Cadmium Red Medium, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Titanium White.

Recently we chatted with instructors Julie Snidle and Dietlind Vander Schaaf about their favorite color mixes. Julie creates a wide range of colors in a playful and experimental manner using a limited palette. Dietlind uses a combination of colors to make chromatic black underpaintings.

However you approach color mixing - whether systematically and methodically or with more of a carefree attitude - we hope this inspires you to begin experimenting in the studio.

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Julie Snidle, Peaches for Breakfast, 18” x 18", oil and cold wax on Ampersand Gessobord.

Julie Snidle

"One of my favorite studio pastimes is trying out new color combinations. I love using R&F's Pigment Sticks® for this because they're ready to go; no brushes or set-up required. I test combinations on palette paper and transfer the best ones to a sheet of Arches oil paper using a palette knife. I've always been intrigued by the possibilities that a limited palette can offer.

There is no particular order on the sampler board above. My goal here was to create as many combinations as I could without repeating colors. I have made more formal charts where colors intersect on a grid, but on this board I was just playing, experimenting, making a game out of it. Look at the wide range of hues and values you can make from just Paynes Grey, Cadmium Red Medium, Cadmium Yellow Light, and Titanium White.”

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Dietlind Vander Schaaf, Cloudscape, 40” x 40” encaustic, oil, and 23 karat gold leaf on panel.

Underpainting using a combination of Intense Carbon Black, Phthalo Turquoise, and Cobalt Blue.

Dietlind Vander Schaaf

“I frequently create chromatic black underpaintings with either blue or green tones for my larger work. To create a blue-black mix, I add Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Turquoise, or Phthalo Blue encaustic paint (or some combination of these blues) to black encaustic paint. For a black-green mix, I choose either Courbet Green or Green Earth encaustic paint. The ratio is approximately 1 part black to 2 parts color, but it’s really experimental. No strict recipe. I prefer Intense Carbon Black for my black. In a pinch I use Ivory Black or Mars Black, but Intense Carbon Black is my favorite because it is the blackest of R&F’s color line and has a gorgeous matte surface when it cools.

When mixing color, I work directly on my palette, manipulating paint with my brush and a silicone Catalyst wedge. I look for that sweet spot where my paint looks dark, but a couple of test strokes reveal either a blue or green tone that can be extended and manipulated by adding medium.

Though my underpaintings read as black from a distance, up close it is apparent that there is more complexity in the dark patches and they subtly connect the various sections of my work. In my painting Cloudscape (above), for example, you can just make out that the dark section at the top has blue in it.”

International Workshops: Janise Yntema & Zijdelings

Artist Janise Yntema in front of one of her paintings.

R&F is fortunate to partner with a number of different artists around the world who teach with our materials. Janise Yntema is one of those instructors. As part of our ongoing international focus, we are pleased to bring you this spotlight.

Janise was born in New Jersey and attended Parsons School of Design and the Art Students League in New York. In 2018, she earned her master’s degree from the University of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture. She has had solo exhibitions in New York and throughout the United States as well as London, Amsterdam, and Brussels. Her works are in the collections of several museums in Europe and the United States, including the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2018, Janise was awarded the International Encaustic Artists' La Vendéenne Award for recognition of outstanding contribution and advancement of encaustic. She works and lives in Brussels, Belgium and will be teaching at Zijdelings in The Netherlands in February.

Janise Yntema, The Five Fifteen, 47" x 42", encaustic and mixed media on panel, 2019

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What did you do before you began teaching?

I was fortunate to grow up near New York City and visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a child left lasting impressions that influenced my choice of career. I have mainly worked as a professional artist though I've often subsidized everything by working freelance in graphic design. Soon after graduating college, I was asked to join A.I.R. gallery in NYC and I had 3 solo shows with them. Since moving to London, I have shown continuously with Cadogan Contemporary.

Though I had been asked to teach over the years, it was not until I got my master's degree that I opened up to the idea of teaching.

Where is your studio? Please describe it. Do you teach out of your studio or at other locations?

I’ve had many studios and my favorites have been in old industrial buildings. My best was in DUMBO. Before the area was developed, I had a loft space over looking the Brooklyn Bridge. In London, I had a studio in the East End of Shore Ditch before that area became trendy. Because of perpetually being ‘moved out’ due to gentrification and the necessity of installing lighting and air extractors, I've worked in the ground floor space of my home for the most recent period. For large works, I miss the ease of an industrial open space, but I’ve found I save a lot of time with no commute. Though I've produced a massive amount of work here, I still consider this space temporary and I am always on the look out for the next studio space.

I teach small workshops from my studio when I am not busy on other projects. At the moment, I prefer to teach on location where everything is specifically set up for teaching.

Janise Yntema, The Other World, 54" x 96", encaustic and mixed media on panel, 2021

Janise Yntema, The Midnight Marsh, 20" x 16", encaustic and mixed media on panel, 2021

How long have you been working with encaustic? What initially drew you to it? What ideas are you exploring in your work?

I have worked in a wide range of media - acrylic, oils, graphite, mixed media, sculpture, assemblage. Trying to find the right fit, I was always on the lookout for new material. I invested in a set of encaustic paints and not knowing what to do with them, they sat in a drawer for a number of years until I signed up for an R&F workshop one snowy winter in 1994. After that course, encaustic became my main material.

With encaustic, my work changed from a very dense dark palette to include the introduction of light and I have continued to work with that concept. The ability to float pigment in a solid is what drew me to encaustic. I'm interested in how refracted light can change a painting.

For quite a long period I was a purist with encaustic but now I’ve gone back to a more mixed media approach. What I have always appreciated with encaustic is the history of the material and craft. I am continually impressed with its versatility. Environmentally, I appreciate that my work with encaustic is, theoretically, sustainable– that my work does not support the fossil fuel industry by incorporating any petroleum byproducts.

One of several example pieces Janise created for her upcoming workshop From 2D to 3D: Transforming Materials with Encaustic & Alchemy at Zijdelings in The Netherlands.

Can you tell us a little about your upcoming workshop in The Netherlands?

February 10 - 12, I will be at Zijdelings to teach From 2D to 3D: Transforming Materials with Encaustic & Alchemy, which explores encaustic as both paint and sculptural material. Students will use encaustic as an encapsulator.

We will incorporate and reframe natural, handmade, and industrial elements as an extension of our colour palettes, discovering texture as colour, shadow as line, and form and the 3 dimensional as ‘painting in the round.’ Direction will be given towards the development of compositional form, constructing a uniquely visual architecture of space. The importance of sequence will be discussed as students learn structurally sound methods to ‘build’ a painting.

Where else will you be teaching this year?

In addition, I will be teaching “Contemporary Encaustic” from March 11 - 13 in Ireland at Essence of Mulranny. And from April 21 - 23, I will be in Switzerland at Kunstfreiraum for “Expanding the Narrative of Colour and Form.” New workshops will be listed soon at janiseyntema.com/workshops.

To see more of Janise’s work, visit janiseyntema.com. Follow her teaching on Instagram: @thisencausticpractice.

The 15th International Encaustic Conference

Eliaichi Kimaro, Nine Elephants, 36” x 36”, encaustic, watercolor, oil, cold wax, wood glue, gold leaf, 2018. To learn more about the evolution of this piece and it’s meaning, visit elikimaro.com/2018/10/20/9elephants.

If you have been to the International Encaustic Conference you know what a treat it is. Jam packed with instructors and populated with group shows, a hotel fair, and a vendor room, it is something that attendees look forward to every year. This is a place where ideas are generated and techniques are shared. The 15th International Encaustic Conference will take place this year in Provincetown from June 3 - 5. To give newcomers a better sense of the conference, we invited artist Eliaichi Kimaro to share her experience attending the conference and why she returns.

Photo credit: Jennifer Loomis

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your work?

“Over the past 40 years, I have used writing, music, photography, film, storytelling, and art to explore my personal and family narratives. As a queer, mixed, first generation American (Tanzanian father and Korean mother) - and now as a mother of a teenage daughter - I make art to understand my place in the flow of cultural inheritance and legacy.

After working through my 20s as a crisis counselor with survivors of rape and abuse, I was ready for a change. I spent my 30s making an award-winning documentary film about my family on Mt. Kilimanjaro, A Lot Like You.

My 40s brought travel and opportunities to engage audiences around the world in conversations about how our experiences of gender, race, culture, and trauma shape our sense of identity and belonging. These lectures culminated in my 2016 TEDxSeattle talk, Why the World Needs Your Story. And now, happily, my 50s are bringing a quiet return to home and family life as I spend my days painting in my studio.”

Eliaichi Kimaro, Where I Begin, oil and cold wax on panel, 40” x 30”

What was it like for you to attend the International Encaustic Conference for the first time? I understand you will be returning this year as a presenter.

“Four years ago, I received a scholarship from International Encaustic Artists to attend my first International Encaustic Conference. Coming from Seattle, this financial assistance made attending the conference feasible. I felt ready to expand and deepen my understanding of what encaustic could be.

At the conference, I met mentors and teachers whose books and videos had shown me the way. My only task every day was to show up, be open and curious, and soak up the experience like a sponge.  My artist community grew exponentially, becoming truly international.  And this conference inspired new avenues of exploration (namely working with oil and cold wax) that fuels my work to this day.

Eliaichi Kimaro, When We Were One, encaustic on panel, 24” x 24”

Because my first conference experience was so creatively nourishing, I made it my goal to return every year. The 2019 Conference felt like a homecoming. Then sadly, the last 2 years were mired by the pandemic. But I am eager to return in 2022 and am honored to have been invited to do a demo on the basics of encaustic.

I was just starting to explore the idea of teaching before the pandemic hit. I do a lot of informal skills sharing and coaching with fellow artists, one on one. Doing this demo at the conference will be a welcome challenge in a friendly environment with fellow artists. Having benefited from the generosity of so many teaching artists, I am excited to have this opportunity to pass on what I have learned.”

To see more of Eliaichi Kimaro’s work, visit elikimaro.com.

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Image credit: Wayne Montecalvo

So, what exactly happens at the conference, you ask? Here’s a run down of what will be offered this year.

The conference will kick off on Friday morning with demos by Eliaichi Kimaro “Fundamentals of Getting Started” and Cat Crochett “The Elusive Line,” as well as talks by Sue Stover and Lisa Pressman “Looking Beyond Medium: Common Threads” and Dale Roberts “Abstract and Realism.”

From 12:30 - 1:30pm, you can choose from two different demos, including “Branding: Making Marks with Heat and Fire” with Lorraine Glessner and “Where Wax Meets Prints: Building and Printing with Encaustic” with Elise Wagner. Or opt for a talk “Artists Working with Textiles” with Susan Lasch Krevitt or “Encaustic + Cold Wax = Sensational Synergy” with Lia Rothstein.

Artwork credit: Carol Pelletier

From 1:30 - 2:30pm, Deborah Kapoor will offer a demo “Pleating and Folding Forms” and Laura Moriarty will demo “Suminagashi.” Talks include “The Magic Show” by R&F founder Richard Frumess and “Meeting the Moment: The Power of Abstraction to Address Social Change” with Toby Sisson. A panel discussion from 3:00 - 4:30pm will take place on the subject “Talking on Women Artists” featuring Deborah Dancy, Kara Rooney, and Joanne Mattera, moderated by Cherie Mittenthal.

Artwork credit: Susan Lasch Krevitt

On Saturday morning from 9:30 - 11:30am, artist Michael David will give a keynote presentation on “The Daily Practice of Painting, Faith, Freedom, Courage, and Integrity.”

From 1:00 - 2:30pm, demos will be offered by Pamela Blum “Encaustic Sculptures with Concave and Convex Contours” and Patti Russotti “Image Transfers using Transfer film and Transfierz.” Nancy Natale will present a talk “Material Possibilities” and Patricia Miranda will give a presentation on “Grant & Proposal Writing for Artists.”

Saturday afternoon talks from 3:00 - 4:30pm include “Art and Science” with Kelly Milukas and “Artists Over Fifty” with Joanne Mattera.

On Sunday, following the hotel fair, the conference resumes. From 1:30 - 2:30 pm choose from demos “Mixing Media: Pigment Stick Monotypes and Encaustic” with Debra Claffey or “Drawing Between Layers” with Dietlind Vander Schaaf. Also offered are talks on “Navigating Artist Residencies” with Lynette Haggard and “Creative Mindset: Selling Your Art” with Jodi Reeb.

Artwork credit: Debra Claffey

From 3:00 - 4:00pm, you can choose from demos on “Photo Imagery, Collage & Encaustic” with Wayne Montecalvo or “Paper Lithography using Pigment Sticks on Encaustiflex Monotypes and Encaustic Paintings” with Leslie Giuliani. Or join the panel presentation “Transatlantic Fusion 21” with Donna Hamil Talman, Kay Hartung, Sarah Springer, Bettina Egli, and Ursi Lysser.

To learn more about each presenter, check out castlehill.org/info-blog/presenter-instructor-bios. For more information or to register, visit castlehill.org/15th-international-encaustic-conference.

Artwork credit: Stephanie Hargrave

Image credit: R&F Handmade Paints

In addition to the conference, Castle Hill will be offering a selection of pre and post conference workshops to deepen your learning experience. Some of these will take place online and some will occur on campus.

Online workshops include “Encaustic + Cold Wax Together = Sensational Synergy” with Lia Rothstein, “Encaustic Prints To The Next Level” with David A. Clark, and “The Light Touch - Working with Improvistation, Play, and Chance” with Joanna Kidney.

On Campus workshops include “Adapting Processes: The Fusion of Encaustic & Fabric” with Susan Stover, “Ceramics & Encaustic” with Stephanie Hargrave, and “Abstract & Real: Working Together” with Dale Roberts, as well as many more.

To view a complete list of pre and post conference workshops and to register, visit castlehill.org.

Artwork credit: Susan Stover

2022 Multiday Workshops Open for Registration

2022 Multiday Workshops Open for Registration

We can't wait to share new ideas, techniques, and experiences with you in the New Year! You'll find our 2022 Workshop Calendar below, and you can register for classes on our website here.

From The Collection: George Mason

George Mason, Untitled, encaustic on plaster, 20” x 25”, 2010

George Mason has a background in ceramic architectural tile and his work is steeped in the exploration of materials and history. Richly textured and saturated with color, the largest of his “relief tapestries” are pieced together panels that occupy entire walls.

Mason began to combine encaustics with layered paper cut outs while teaching in Jerusalem, Indonesia, and India. Eventually, these works led to a multi faceted question that challenged him to synthesize several divergent interests. He asked, “Is it possible to create large dimensional works, outside the frame, highly textural, referencing textile, ceramic, and cut out traditions, that hang with authority yet surrender to gravity with grace?

The recipient of three National Endowment for the Arts awards, and a founder of Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, Mason has taught at Cranbrook Academy of Art, the College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Ohio State, U.C. Boulder, and Haystack. In his home state of Maine, he has shown at the Portland Museum of Art, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, The Farnsworth Museum, and Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Mason completed over thirty Percent For Art architectural ceramic projects for schools in Maine and New York City between 1986 and 2003, including a commission for The Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta, Georgia. R&F is thrilled to have two pieces by George as part of our permanent collection.

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Can you tell us about your work in R&F’s Permanent Collection?

I made these two pieces many years ago when I was coming out to R&F in Kingston, and working in the studio for a week at a time. Using Hydrocal plaster with yellow ochre pigment, I made very thin plaster panels on burlap, and then crackled them to re-establish their suppleness as textiles.

George Mason, Heavenly Pivot, encaustic on plaster, 18” x 24.5”, 2010

I began to heat the panels and apply encaustic. I then combined my separate encaustic paper cutout experiments and placed them on the plaster panels to heat and create transfer prints. I first applied cerulean blue to the plaster then printed with the cutout using a violet encaustic. I printed a second time with a duplicate cutout using a gold encaustic but offsetting the register slightly.

At the time I was looking at the frescoes of Giotto and I was swept away by how he rendered the sky. I wanted to create a kind of celestial gate with deep space beyond. That came to feel like a permeable membrane at the edge of the great beyond with its inherent relationship to mortality. I didn’t anticipate that. As ever, I make in order to come to know what I am making, and to tap into the larger mystery that connects us all.

Seeing pictures of the two R&F pieces reminded me of the thread of an inquiry that I had all but forgotten. Shortly after I made them I changed plasters to one that required less water to go into solution. I found I was no longer getting the sharp edges that I had formally achieved when printing my cutouts on plaster, and I just lost interest in the method. I see now that the problem was the harder surface being less porous and not grabbing and absorbing the encaustic from the cut out. I will definitely try that more porous plaster again with new encaustic cutouts.

George Mason, Untitled with Portal, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, and encaustic, 20.75” x 64.50", 2020

Did you develop this method yourself?

Egyptians were using plaster and burlap 4,000 years ago, and the ancient world employed casein paint and encaustic with great skill. Nothing new there. But honestly, I came to my particular method of working out of a desire to free my work from the constraints of the kiln shelf.

While traveling overseas, seeking out ruins and traces of the long forgotten, I took paper and blade to capture the exotic and the mundane. I carried these thin sculptures in my backpack. I fell in love with textiles and their place in local domestic ritual. In time and with lots of experiments, I began to combine all these various threads.

“I used to create unexpected obstacles that audience was required to navigate, but in this Covid time I am at the door welcoming, simply grateful that someone takes some notice.”

Can you explain how you believe art and visual inquiry can be a relational vehicle that builds community and honors place?

At that time I was interested in presenting my work in unexpected locations, such as a sod roof stone building high on a blueberry barren with a jaw-dropping view of the Penobscot Bay that took twenty five minutes to ascend.

George Mason, Untitled with Spire on Muted Violet, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, and encaustic, 20.75” x 40", 2020

My question was whether the experience of the work would be qualitatively different when audience stumbled upon it, without anticipation or expectation. They would be free to navigate the ‘not knowing’ without familiar prompts that confirmed that what they were seeing was art and therefore somehow worthy of their attention. For those who knew the work was there, they had to choose to make the effort.

It did change the experience. Many didn’t know what they were looking at, but were surprised and delighted nonetheless. They didn’t need to call it art to have a meaningful interaction.

I used to create unexpected obstacles that audience was required to navigate, but in this Covid time I am at the door welcoming, simply grateful that someone takes some notice.

George Mason, Unspoken, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, and encaustic, 27” x 87”, 2020

How did you come to teach overseas?

I was asked to teach at Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem after two faculty visited the College of Ceramics at Alfred in upstate New York, where I was teaching. They saw a room full of glaze tests from my class. The emphasis was making glaze as though cooking in a kitchen, with a little of this and a little of that. At the time glaze formulation was quite daunting and approached as a science on the molecular level. Many art students found that just too formal and forbidding.

I also taught on the island of Java, Indonesia at two universities. I was asked by the United States Information Agency to introduce and teach porcelain classes. This unlikely invitation happened because a year prior I had been in Bali and happened onto a wedding where I met an American who worked at the US Embassy. A Smithsonian show called American Porcelain was touring in Indonesia and he was in charge of installing it and a number of the pieces needed repair. As fate would have it, I was in that show. When I shared that information he asked me to come to the embassy in Jakarta when I returned to Java to help him fix the damaged work. My going back to Indonesia to teach at his behest a year later was serendipity pure and simple.

George Mason, Untitled with Cadmium Orange, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, and encaustic, 20.75” x 65.50", 2020

Having met Krishnamurti in India long before, I wanted to visit the Krishnamurti Schools to see how the learning principles set forth by this thought leader and giant of the 20th century were implemented. These schools were alternative in that they had reflective components built into the schedule of the day. But the normal pressures to perform well on exams and get into the best universities were also very much in evidence. I offered classes in studio art and acupuncture five element theory with my wife Susan.

George Mason, Red, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, encaustic, 20.75” x 94”, 2021

“I have held that making is prayer and that naming the activity as art does not fully capture the affection and reciprocity. To participate is the blessing.”

How have you understood your Art up until recent experiments with recognizable content?

My work has relied on color, texture, light, shadow, and gravity.

I have held that red is no metaphor but a force independent of reference. I have held that my works are fugitive and cannot be approached directly; that they nourish without telling a story; and that a viewer is rewarded by a receptive attentiveness, not an aggressive determination. (So, for example, if I want to see the northern lights I must first include the night sky in my ongoing rhythm of attention, and be patient.)

I have held that making is prayer and that naming the activity as art does not fully capture the affection and reciprocity. To participate is the blessing.

I have held that the art encounter is not dependent on memory, and the recollection of that encounter is not related in any consequential way to the original experience. Memory recapitulates a very different story by positing the sensation of owning a mental object made safe and manageable. This narrative, living as memory can be rendered again and again. But revelation can never be brought back. We are only left with the ash of description.

George Mason, Empire, Hydrocal plaster, burlap, casein paint, encaustic, 20.75” x 53.50", 2020

How has Covid impacted your art?

These last two years have changed most every aspect of how I interact with people, and that has affected my studio practice. Over time the heaviness of both the political climate and the loss of opportunities to be neighborly have weighed on me. My work just sat on the walls in a kind of limbo with no eyes on it. My interest flagged and the inquiry stalled.

During this time my artist friend Sondra Bogdonoff and I decided to check in with each other every two weeks over Zoom. That made all the difference in the studio. Having another witness helped me feel held within a circle of meaning, and accountable to someone. My long-standing complaint about the ‘art scene’ had to confront the irony of its absence. I came to acknowledge my great debt to the world of the arts for encouraging audience to play their essential role in the overall arc of my studio process.

Covid has made clear to me just how important a witness is to my remaining engaged, to my processing what I have done, and ultimately, to my moving on.

Did your work change during this time?

Yes. I started experimenting with recognizable content for the first time; wrestling with how my work might participate in the racial equity dialogue that was and is pulsing with such urgency. I questioned whether my comfort with abstraction was complicit in sidestepping that reckoning.

George Mason, Unspoken (detail)

The faces in my new work were intended to confront and be the haunting presence of black and indigenous Americans that live within us, overlooked, and hidden from view. They were intended to demand our attention and be a reminder of how we have turned away. Yet they are not angry as I anticipated; or shaming, or confrontational. Whoever they are, they are the guests I have ignored.

Can you say more about your relationship to audience?

Providing a roadmap to navigate a work of art is one way to be a thoughtful host, even though it may prompt a certain narrow response. I am paying particular attention to my relationship with audience at this time and being more forthcoming about the peculiar logic and discipline forged in my studio over many years. I am always having to confront the question, ‘Am I interested enough in audience participation to expend the kind of effort required to include them? Are they valued or begrudgingly accommodated?’

And as a frequent audience member myself, I never presume to know what I am looking at. I am obliged to approach the art respectfully, tentatively, even reverently; with an open heart, not a conclusive mind.

To see more of George Mason’s work, visit georgemasonart.com.

2022 Mini Workshops Now Available!

We are very excited to share with you that our workshop program will be returning in 2022. We've truly missed all of the conversation, learning, and energy our students bring to our workshops and we can't wait to welcome you back.

You'll find our 2022 Mini Workshop Calendar below, and you can register for classes on our website here. Thanks again for your patience, for joining our virtual demos, and for viewing online resources while the program was on pause. See you soon!

R&F Comprehensive Workshop in Glendale California

R&F Handmade Paints Comprehensive Workshops are designed to give participants a thorough knowledge of encaustic and R&F Pigment Sticks®.

This in person workshop with Instructor Caryl St. Ama will begin with an overview of our materials, demonstrating the wide variety of ways our paints are used today. Students are encouraged to bring an open mind and a willingness to experiment with new materials. Caryl will explain studio setup, tools, and health and safety. Students become familiar and comfortable with brushwork, fusing, and layering with encaustic. This class examines specific characteristics that makes wax a unique material to work with including opacity, temperature, adhesion, and texture.
 

Encaustic is adaptable to other media and artistic processes. Additional techniques we will explore include collage, printmaking, image transfer, and combining oil and wax. After each demonstration, participants have working time to explore each technique at their own pace. There will be ample opportunities to ask the instructor questions on additional topics of interest. Artists working in any print or painting media will find this workshop an exciting opportunity to grow their visual vocabulary.

Please note: Proof of vaccination is required for all workshop participants and visitors to the Glendale Community College campus.

Class Levels: Beginner-Intermediate.

Location: Glendale Community College. Glendale, CA.
Instructor: Caryl St. Ama

Date: Friday, Feb 4 - Sunday, Feb 6 2022
Time: 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Price: $ 525.00

The Encaustic Painter's Dozen: Chromium Oxide Green, Alizarin Orange & Ultramarine Blue Pale

Dietlind Vander Schaaf, Beso, 36” x 36”, encaustic and Pigment Stick® on panel, 2021.

We complete our exploration of the Encaustic Painter's Dozen with Chromium Oxide Green, Alizarin Orange & Ultramarine Blue Pale. Below artists Jeff Hirst, Leslie Giuliani, and Dietlind Vander Schaaf describe these colors and discuss how they use them in their work.

Our limited edition Encaustic Painter's Dozen is a great value. Available now through the holidays.

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Jeff Hirst, Strata Movements, 8" x 8", encaustic on panel.

"Chromium Oxide Green is an opaque color that dates back to the eighteenth century. Both Turner and Monet used it to create muted tones. In the painting above I worked with Chromium Oxide Green, Cadmium Red Light, Titanium White, Ivory Black, and R&F encaustic medium. Mixing Chromium Oxide Green with these other colors reveals a wide range of value from chromatic grays to prismatic color. In my own work, I frequently tint Chromium Oxide Green with Titanium White and a bit of encaustic medium, or make it translucent by adding a high ratio of medium to reveal colors below."

- R&F Core Instructor Jeff Hirst

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Leslie Giuliani, The Cycle, 20” x 16”, stitched encaustic painting on Encaustiflex.

"It is easy to overlook Alizarin Orange among similar colors in a display. It might appear dull by comparison to Cadmium Orange or Cadmium Red Light. But Alizarin Orange is pure magic when you paint with it - like painting with fiery orange light. Its translucency can light up a painting with a stained-glass effect, illuminating details from an underpainting. Alizarin Orange can bring a muted painting back from the brink with just a glaze. It has saved the day for me many a time."

- R&F Core Instructor Leslie Giuliani

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Dietlind Vander Schaaf, Cloudscape, 40" x 40", encaustic, Pigment Stick, and 23 karat gold leaf on panel.

"Ultramarine Blue Pale is my go-to color. I use it as a chromatic white or add it to other colors to lighten them. Ultramarine is a deep blue pigment originally made by grinding lapis lazuli into a fine powder. The name comes from the Latin word ultramarinus - meaning "beyond the sea" and it was considered the finest and most expensive blue used by Renaissance painters. R&F's Ultramarine Blue Pale is a cool blue with a hint of violet and gray. It adds an airy expansiveness to my paintings, in which the subject is often a body of water or the sky. It feels clean, bright, hopeful."

- R&F Core Instructor Dietlind Vander Schaaf

Shading: Azure Blue, Turkey Red, Cadmium Yellow Deep

This week we looked at shades of three of our encaustic colors: Azure Blue, Turkey Red, and Cadmium Yellow Deep to observe their range from full saturation to near-black. We used Ivory Black, an all-purpose black and solid choice for creating colored shades, to darken these colors.

Azure Blue is a bright and slightly greenish light blue. As we darkened this color with black, a blue often reminiscent of a "clear daytime sky" changed to a rich shade of opaque blue resembling dusk.

Turkey Red has an earthy bluish red top tone that breaks into a warm earthy scarlet undertone. When the color is mixed with Ivory Black a dark and warmer scarlet is produced.

Our Cadmium Yellow Deep is saturated and deeper than most deep cadmium yellows without losing its brightness when used by itself. When combined with Ivory Black rich shades of green arise.

Azure Blue mixed with Ivory Black.

Turkey Red mixed with Ivory Black.

Cadmium Yellow Deep mixed with Ivory Black.

The Encaustic Painter's Dozen: Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna & Turkey Umber Pale

Julie Snidle, Lichens, 30” x 30”, encaustic on Encausticbord.

We continue our exploration of the Encaustic Painter's Dozen - our new limited edition color set. This week we bring you Cobalt Blue, Burnt Sienna & Turkey Umber Pale. Below three of our artist instructors describe these colors in their own words and share a little about how they use them in their work.

Enjoy and stay tuned for future colors in coming weeks.

Jodi Reeb, Encircle, dimensions variable, encaustic with metallic paints and found objects.

“Cobalt Blue reminds me of the bluest sky, the deep blue ocean, and my son's eyes. Van Gogh noted that 'there is no blue without yellow and orange.' I appreciate this quote because it speaks to the idea that color is altered by what is next to it. Color is relative as it is seen, according to the perception of the eye and the translation from the brain to the mind. I explore this idea in my circular painting installations by grouping complementary color combinations."

- R&F Core Instructor Jodi Reeb

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Lorraine Glessner, Windy Mountain, 9.5” x 6.25”, encaustic monoprint on Masa paper.

"I have been a frequent visitor to the western states for much of the past twenty years, most recently to Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, and South Dakota. My work is fueled by the unrestrained and other worldly environments found in these states. Each time I visit, I enter a netherworld of stark wilderness, fervent storms, intriguing flora and fauna, untouched wildlife, and a strange, ever-changing landscape, all of which exhibit a raw volatility and constant regeneration of cyclic life, as well as the interminable struggle between humankind and nature.

I have focused on this struggle in my rusted and plant-stained fabrics, drawings, encaustic paintings, and monotypes. R&F’s Burnt Sienna richly captures the magical landscape of the Utah desert where the earth becomes a Serra sculpture and an O’Keefe painting all at once. I particularly love the range of the semi-transparent quality of this paint - from an orangey-red to a dark pinky-peach. I find Burnt Sienna is best paired with blues, blue-greens, turquoise, a touch of ochre, and a mix of whites for an earthy, dynamic vibrancy."

- R&F Tier Instructor Lorraine Glessner

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Julie Snidle, Foliose, 8” x 8”, encaustic on panel.

"Turkey Umber Pale is not the life of the party. It will never shout at you or try to get your attention from across the room. Unlike Turkey Umber Greenish, its hard-edged parent, our quiet friend is a warm and earthy chromatic grey that is quite content letting other pigments take the lead. Turkey Umber Pale may be opaque, but it proudly blends into a woodland fog and can mimic a lichen like nothing else. This sophisticated color is humble about its umber lineage - one of the oldest pigments on the planet - and without fanfare it lives up to its Latin name ombra, which means 'shadow.'"

- R&F Core Instructor Julie Snidle

Artist Spotlight: Stephanie Roberts-Camello

Stephanie Roberts-Camello is a Massachusetts based artist working primarily with encaustic and mixed-media. Stephanie graduated with a BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design in 1985. She has attended multiple residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, where she continued to develop her encaustic relief technique. Stephanie is currently President of New England Wax and exhibits throughout the country Her work was recently featured in a two person show at the Duxbury Art Complex Museum, as well as a three person show at the Grimshaw Gudewicz Gallery in Fall River. She was also invited to show at an exhibition by Jane Cornish Smith at the University Gallery at Texas A&M Commerce.

Stephanie was introduced to encaustic during a workshop around 1996 with Tracy Spadafora. After the class she purchased a heat gun, a start up line of encaustic paint, and an 12" x 12" R&F Heated Palette she still uses today.

"I found painting with encaustic to be challenging initially but also fascinating and I continued to experiment, adding various materials above and below the surface, including R&F Pigment Sticks®. My encaustic relief work began after my first year attending the International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown where I was able to take workshops and was exposed to so many different ways of working with this material."

New Video: Pigment Stick® Painter's Dozen 2

Lisa Pressman, The Insides, 36” x 30”, R&F Pigment Stick on Ampersand Gessobord, 2021

In our newest demo video, we challenged R&F Core Instructor Lisa Pressman to make a painting using our Pigment Stick® Painter's Dozen 2 Color Set.

A collection of luscious colors to expand your palette, this set contains twelve 38 ml. Pigment Sticks®, including Blue Ochre, Turkey Red, Magenta Earth, Stil de Grain, Olive Yellow, Permanent Green, Cobalt Teal, Unbleached Titanium, Ultramarine Blue Pale, Phthalo Green Pale, Green Gold Pale, and Cerulean Grey, in a cradled 6½" × 7½" Ampersand Gessobord.

Have you painted with our Pigment Stick® Painter’s Dozen Set 2? We’d love to see what you’ve made!

Post your painting on IG or FB. (Use the public setting icon for the post so we can see the #.) Add #randfpaintersdozen2.

We’ll repost your paintings in our Stories!

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Want to learn more about working with R&F Pigment Sticks®? Take a class with Lisa Pressman!

Travel as Inspiration: An Exploration of the Senses with Lisa Pressman and Susan Stover
April 22 - May 2, 2022
La Romita, Umbria, Italy

Students will work with textures, tones, colors, and the clarity of light from a variety of breathtaking locations chosen to inspire—a chance for artists to immerse themselves in the beauty and sensations of Umbria, Italy. Cameras, sketchbooks, and assignments focusing on specific art fundamentals will shape your Italian experience, help you to discover new ways of seeing, and build a visual library influenced by the Umbrian landscape and villages.

With outings as inspiration, students will experiment in the studio using a range of materials including R&F pigment sticks, oil paint, cold wax, graphite, ink, water-based paints, fabrics, collage materials, and pastels. A variety of techniques, tools, and exercises will be used to explore personal imagery—abstract as well as representational.

To register, visit laromita.org.

R&F Handmade Paints: Mars Colors

R&F Mars colors are a group of synthetic iron oxides which include Mars Yellow Light, Mars Yellow Deep, Mars Orange, Mars Red, Mars Violet, and Mars Black. Our Mars colors are produced in both our encaustic and R&F Pigment Stick® lines.

The name 'Mars' is derived from the god of war, whose metal is iron. The name ‘Mars Yellow’ and the colors that stem from this name emerged in the eighteenth century as a literal translation of the Latin crocus martis. Martis refers to Mars and the ancient alchemical name for iron. These "synthetic ochres" tend to be cleaner, more powerful, and more opaque than many earth pigments such as our Siennas and Umbers, which have a wider variation in their toptone and undertone.

Take a closer look at a few of our Mars colors below, and don't forget to explore our color line to see them all and try them yourself!

Similar to an Indian Red, Mars Violet is a low intensity deep bluish-red earth. Mars Violet is opaque when used by itself, and makes lavender tints when white is added.

Mars Black is a very dense black. It has slightly violet undertone and greys. It mixes cleaner than other blacks, and is a faster drier in our Pigment Stick® line.

Our Mars Yellow Light, is the shade most associated with yellow ochre. It is a soft very slightly greenish yellow. Against darker colors, it is almost brilliant.

The Encaustic Painter's Dozen: Unbleached Titanium, Manganese Violet & Indigo

Detail of work by R&F Tier Instructor Kelly Williams

To help you understand why we chose the colors we did for our new limited edition Encaustic Painter's Dozen, we reached out to our Core and Tier Artist Instructors and had them pick a favorite. This week we are featuring Unbleached Titanium, Manganese Violet, and Indigo.

Debra Claffey, Blue Star Blues, 19" x 24", encaustic, Pigment Stick, Art Graf on Thai paper

"I love Unbleached Titanium. It's a chameleon. It can be the highlight against darker color. It can be a midtone when there's a lighter color nearby. It can be warm or cool. Unbleached Titanium is all about context and nuance. Its neutral nature brings out depth in saturated colors and shines as the star performer against warm blacks. It's gorgeous next to white too."

- R&F Tier Instructor Debra Claffey

Kelly Williams, Swimming The Depths, 36" round, encaustic on panel

"I often utilize the subtle glazes that Manganese Violet can make to add a depth without overpowering a piece. Playing it against a range of yellows and gold also creates an atmospheric feel that adds complexity. When tinted with white it produces a soft pastel that can act as a neutral it a high keyed painting. This violet is a regular in both my abstracts and figurative work to create cool shadows so is a must have on my palette."

- R&F Tier Instructor Kelly Williams

Susan Stover, P113, 6" x 6", encaustic on paper

"I love Indigo. I can use it as a chromatic black in a painting or tint it with white for some beautiful shades of neutral blues. I'm particularly fond of indigo dye as it has such an interesting history and is a magical process. The color speaks of the earth and has a grounding effect on me. I also like to use it as a toner to create color harmonies."

- R&F Core Instructor Susan Stover

R&F Pigment Stick® Techniques: Trace Monotype

Trace Monotype an experimental form of printmaking combining all the expressive qualities of drawing and painting with the unique qualities of working and composing from a plate. R&F Pigment Sticks® are uniquely suited to this process. They have more tack than tube oil but also offer a more open working time than many standard printmaking inks, with a wider range of colors. You'll only need a few items to try this process: a brayer, a barren (optional) , a plate, newsprint, tissue paper, tape, a mark-making tool, and mineral oil for clean-up.

We checked in with artist Kelly Anne McGrath to learn about some of the basics of the Trace Monotype process. A technique Kelly utilizes in her artwork and demonstrates in workshops.

Use a brayer to roll a thin even layer of R&F Pigment Stick® color onto a printing plate. Next, lightly place a piece of paper over the ink, taping the top and bottom to your work table. Begin making marks by tracing the back of the paper with a mark making tool (the pressure transfers the ink). The residual image on the plate can also be printed creating a positive and negative image (see image above). While this is a monotype process and produces a unique image at each iteration, you can also make a series with repeated imagery in a way that adds unique expression to each piece. A variety of tools and textured surfaces are recommended to explore the variety of possible marks. Printing plates can be made from any smooth nonabsorbent material. Multiple prints can also be pulled from the same plate. The subsequent images will be lighter and less saturated; these are often called ghost prints.

The Encaustic Painter's Dozen: Titanium White, Olive Yellow & Ancient Gold

We're super excited about our Encaustic Painter's Dozen - a new limited edition color set. We thought it might be fun to have our Core and Tier Artist Instructors describe each of these colors in their own words and share a bit about how they use it in their work.

This week we bring you Titanium White, Olive Yellow & Ancient Gold. Enjoy and stay tuned for future colors in coming weeks.

Michelle Belto, Marks We Leave Behind, 10" x 10", encaustic on panel, 2021

"Titanium White melts slowly to a luscious heavy cream consistency. Because of its high concentration of Titanium Dioxide, this white can take a lot of medium without losing its opacity. When the ratio is reversed, the paint will still hold a hint of opacity creating a ghostly translucent color that can veil and suggest. Titanium White is truly an all-purpose white that is both reflective and solidly opaque. I use it mostly for its ability to subtly tint other colors in the line, extending my value choices." - R&F Tier Instructor Michelle Belto

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Caryl St. Ama, Trickle Down Series: Chaos Contained (collagraph plate), encaustic and Pigment Stick® on plexiglass, 2021

"What draws me to Olive Yellow is that it is a color that plays well with others. I love mixing it with Ivory Black to make a deep, dark forest green. When I add it to Azure Blue, it creates a bright and cheery green. Adding Titanium White to Olive Yellow softens it to a sweet pastel and combined with encaustic medium, it's a lovely citrus glaze. Very versatile!" - R&F Core Instructor Caryl St. Ama

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Lisa Pressman, Navigation 15, 10" x 8”, encaustic on panel, 2019

"When I first saw Ancient Gold it brought me back to wondering around the Egyptian Wing at the Met in NY. It adds a gorgeous shimmer under transparent colors and changes the way the light hits the piece. Used as a color itself, it creates a sense of old gold and enhances the feeling of history in the work." - R&F Core Instructor Lisa Pressman

Tips & Tricks: Smooth Encaustic Surfaces

Even if you love texture, learning how to create an smooth, bubble-free surface is foundational to many techniques. It will also help you understand how encaustic is affected by heat. Follow the steps below to improve your surfaces.

Step One: Warm your panel. This can be done by briefly placing your panel onto a clean heated palette (face down), or with a heat gun. Pay special attention to make sure you've warmed the entire surface. Having an airtight support such as Ampersand Encausticbord helps prevent bubbles, as the high density of the board and even coating of encaustic gesso prevents air from rising from your support.

Step Two: As you apply the paint try not to overlap your brushstrokes as this will create ridges.

Step Three: After you've brushed on the layer, fuse until surface goes from matte to shiny. If there are still bubbles, continue fusing lightly. Do not over fuse. If you find there are still bubbles over-fusing can make the bubbles worse as you may be heating all the way back down to the substrate.

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Artist Dietlind Vander Schaaf explains how she creates smooth "bubble free" encaustic surfaces.

"My trick for dealing with wood panels that produce a lot of bubbles is to build up five to ten layers of encaustic medium (fusing between each layer) and then allow the panel to cool completely. Once the painting has cooled and hardened, I fuse just the top layer or two. This closes the bubbles and you aren't continuing to pull air back up from the substrate.

Another thing to consider is that bubbles can sometimes form because of air trapped in the wax and lightly fusing from an angle can help.

Once you have an understanding of how to remove air bubbles, you may consider that a few bubbles here or there aren't not a big deal. They can add interest when filled in with Pigment Stick® as a final surface coat."

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