MARISSA VOYTENKO 
encaustic artist

I like stuff that you can't quite place in time. It can look like the future, and it can also look ancient. - Jackie Ferrara, American sculptor and draftswoman

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Artist Statement

My work invites viewers into a visual rhythm of order, offering meditative reflections on the unseen. I draw from ancient Roman architecture and Arabic tile work to Japanese gardens and Mid-Century modern design and focus on their shared aesthetics to create abstract imagery that feels both ancient and modern. I produce geometric abstract paintings, relief sculptures, and assemblages emphasizing order and simplicity. Using encaustic paint heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, I layer wax, then scrape and burnish the surface to a glossy finish. I incorporate repeated shapes from classical architecture (e.g., the Roman arch) and etch inside these forms with clean, simple lines to evoke tilework. The patternmaking and repetition stem from my deep appreciation for order, which is a core element of beauty and transcendence across cultures and throughout history.

 

I create artwork to find my place in history and connect with something greater than myself. While much of the modern world focuses on the present and visible things, I aim to create space for an expansive vision that transcends time and reveals what is unseen.