Encaustic Art
Encaustic means "to heat” or "to burn in". The Encaustic process uses melted, pigmented beeswax and natural resins which are then painted onto a rigid surface. After each coat of encaustic paint is applied, heat and tools are used to fuse the layers together. When cool, the wax cures to create a stable archival painting that can last for centuries without fading or losing its radiance. This medium began in Greco-Roman Egypt before 100 B.C. and was used in portraiture, but eventually fell into disuse. However, in 1954 Jasper Johns put pigmented beeswax on canvas. Thus, encaustic was back on the map. The medium is well known for its transparency and translucent density and it is a delight to paint layer after layer and watch the color underneath shine from underneath. It still remains an uncommon medium. The encaustic medium lends itself well to abstract art and contemporary paintings.
Altered Books
An altered book is a form of artwork that changes a book from its original form into something else. An altered book artist takes a book (old, new, recycled or multiple) and cuts, tears, glues, burns, folds, paints, adds to, collages, rebinds, gold-leafs, creates pop-ups, drills, and bolts it. They add pockets and niches to hold tags, secret drawers and ephemera or other three dimensional objects. Some change the shape of the book, or use multiple books in the creation of their finished piece of art. The use of books permits the artist to work in a 3-dimensional context that other artists must create in their craft. In addition, working with this medium allows the artist the excitement of discovering interesting oddities of information in the books that he/she is manipulating.