The encaustic paintings on this website are created on a hard surface (wood) using a mixture of materials (beeswax, natural resin, and natural pigments). The encaustic mixture is heated/melted and applied to the canvas using a brush. Each layer of wax is fused to the preceding layer using a torch, allowing the layers to become one. Many tools are used in addition to the brushes, one of the most useful being a scraper, which keeps the surface of the painting even.
Encaustic painting guides the artist to work on the canvas in a direct and flexible way. This allows for unexpected changes in composition, form, texture, and color. Layering and removal of layers keeps this process-oriented painting method archealogical in nature, as there is much digging back into and revealing the often forgotten history of the painting. A certain non-attachment to the current phase of the painting develops, and allows for a freedom not experienced in other media.
Majoring in printmaking and painting at PNCA in Portland, Oregon, Karen was the recipient of the Louis Bunce Scholarship award, the Printmaking Department scholarship award, and the Local 10 Scholarship award. Her work is owned by the Portland Art Museum and by many private collectors, and can be seen at Alberta Street Gallery (Portland, OR) and RiverSea Gallery (Astoria, OR).
