I know how to draw very well, and I know how to paint (sort of), but I’m never sure how to complete “a painting.” In this project I explored a solution to "completing a painting" that draws on the material properties of encaustic, and the compositional strategies of some early artistic influences of mine. As an artist with a full-time career that isn’t art-related, my art school is mostly visiting museums and galleries to see my favorite painters’ work in person. On the 100th anniversary of Egon Schiele’s death (2018) I brought my sketchbook and easel to the Neue Galerie, The Met, the MFA, The Tate and Galerie St. Etienne. I made many close studies of all the originals I could find from the Viennese Secession (Kokoschka, Klimt, Schiele, Hoffmann, Roller). In this project I tried to synthesize what I learned in 2018 and 2019 and to bring it to bear on an exploratory series of new original work of my own.

My hope was to achieve some of the same effects that characterize the art of the Vienna secessionists: the compressed pictorial space, emphasis on line, and incorporation of ornamental motifs. I believe the material properties of encaustic (intense contrast between translucence and opacity, the physicality and carving techniques) really lend themselves to this “Klimt-y” approach to filling up pictorial space. I initially intended to focus on portraits of people I know who would sit for me in my studio. Because of the pandemic, I ended up turning to self-portraiture.

For anyone who has not painted with encaustic, the process is simultaneously frustrating, difficult and enjoyable. Wax is not particularly controllable. It will only stay liquid for a few seconds, just enough time to transfer it from a heated cup onto your substrate. Paintings are built up layer by layer slowly, and each layer is fused to the preceding layer with a heat gun or iron, and then buffed to a shiny and smooth flatness. Wax paint can be toxic, so temperatures must be monitored and your work space must be specially ventilated. The process presents an engrossing challenge and delivers a very high return of “happy accidents” or unexpected visual results. The pieces on exhibition are equal part intention and luck. I hope you enjoy them.