MARISSA VOYTENKO
encaustic artist
WHAT IS ENCAUSTIC?
Encaustic paint has a rich history that dates back to the 1st century AD during Roman-Egyptian rule. It was used for painting funeral portraits and sealing the exteriors of fishing and trading boats. Since then, artists have used this medium over the centuries.
The word encaustic is Greek and literally means "to burn in." This is because this beeswax-based medium requires heat—such as a blowtorch, heat gun, or heat lamps—to fuse the layers of paint.
This medium is highly durable and colorfast. Since the pigment in encaustic is encased in wax, it retains its vibrancy for centuries. However, encaustic does not tolerate extreme cold or heat, so it’s best to keep your artwork in an environment that stays between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
MATERIALS
I use birch plywood panels for all my encaustic paintings. Each piece is first sealed with encaustic gesso and layered with multiple coats of encaustic paint, which are fused using a blow torch. I utilize an adding and subtracting technique of painting that results in a highly abraded surface. All works are cradled with edges that are either painted or stained for a polished look that does not require framing.