Encaustic #2 Abstract Mixed Media painting by Minnesota artist Terry Honstead

I finished another encaustic painting today.  Actually two of them!  These were lots of fun to do.  I did them each a little different than the other, but still made them so they could be used together.  I have an opening to an art show tomorrow from 5:00 - 7:00 and I may take them with me and just set them out somewhere.  I think they really need to set for a while to harden more.  This painting has eyelets in and I used oil sticks in both of them as well as metallic foil.  the first painting is 5 x 5 and the second one is 6 x 12 although it looks smaller on this page.  You can see more of my work on terry-honstead.artistwebsites.com or email me athonstead@paulbunyan.net.

Encaustic #1 landscape painting by Minnesota mixed media artist Terry Honstead

This little 5 x 5 encaustic artwork is my very first encaustic painting.  For those of you that do not know what encaustic is, it is painting with a mixture of beeswax and damar resin.  You cook the mixture until it melts and then you get the clear medium.  I also made my own colors out of dry powdered pigment.  That is just one of the ways that you can make the colored wax.  I really enjoyed making it all myself!  This is actually an ancient way of painting that is permanent enough to still have some of it around that was done over 2000 years ago.  If you are interested, look up Fayum Portraits online.  It is all quite fascinating!  Anyway, I am hoping that this is the beginning of something I will really love doing!  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at honstead@paulbunyan.net.