Q: You use hot wax, or encaustic, as a painting medium. Can you take us through your process?

A: I start with a hand-built rigid substrate and begin to build up layers of wax as I use a blow torch to fuse each layer of paint to the one beneath. Alternating between transparent and opaque encaustic paint accentuates the natural luminosity of the medium and creates a dialogue between the layers. It is a constant process of give and take as I add new wax layers while removing others with scraping and carving tools. I finish a painting with oils, often covering the entire surface with a transparent oil stick and then wiping it away to reveal the imperfections and textures of the wax.

Q: What is a day in the studio like for you? Take us through your routine!

A: My day actually begins with the drive from Anderson to my studio in the village. I thought I would hate that drive, but it honestly gives me time to mentally separate from the demands of home and prepare my mind for a different state of being. I arrive at the studio and plug in all the heating devices to start melting the encaustic medium while I walk over to Unlocked or The Village Grind to get my second cup of coffee. Success with encaustic medium is highly dependent on timing and temperature, so I am constantly multi-tasking and have several paintings going at one time. I combine early layers on some paintings while focusing in on the details of those that are near the finish line.

Q: In your exhibition statement you reference a Wendell Berry poem titled, “The Peace of Wild Things”. Why is this poem important to you and how does it relate to your work?

A: There are so many things about this poem that resonate with me.  I have been a long-time fan of Wendell Berry’s poetry. His love for the natural world is so authentic and thoughtful. If I had to focus on one part of this poem, it’s the line “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief”. Before I lost my dad in 2020, I didn’t have any experience with deep grief. I think as we get older we begin to realize the extent and gravity of what we can lose. Grief now becomes a forethought where it was somewhere distant and out-of-mind before. So, how do we cope? For me, it helps to go outside and focus on the beauty of nature. It feels like my dad is still there in the quiet. He is still listening just as he always did, but now he is part of a larger chorus of love.

Q: You work in multiple mediums, in addition to the encaustic medium, including photography and oil painting. Do you have a favorite medium? Is there a medium you would like to try in the future?

A: My focus is to keep learning and see how I can employ all of the mediums I work with to reflect who I am in a cohesive way. Currently, I’m working on some printmaking and mixed media processes to combine with encaustic. They are all my favorite mediums as they all influence each other - it just depends on which one is front of me on any given day. Even though I have drifted away from portrait photography, every time I pick up my camera I get excited about it all over again. The camera helps me edit and see light, which in turn impacts the paintings I’m creating.

Q: Who are some of your favorite artists?

A: Andrew Wyeth, Fairfield Porter, Edouard Manet, Sorolla, Rachel Ruysch, Botticelli