Amber George

7 pm at the Bernardo Heights Community Center
16150 Bernardo Heights Parkway; entrance on Avenida Venusto

About the Artist

"Encaustic paint is pigmented beeswax. It has enjoyed a resurgence since the
last half of the 20th century but is an archaic material first developed by
the Greeks. We know that it was being used around 800 B.C. to waterproof
sailing vessels and it later was used in funerary portraits in Egypt around
the first century A.D.  There are several examples of encaustic work that
have survived through the centuries at the J. Paul Getty and the
Metropolitan Museum of Art and other museums around the world.
Many people are surprised that wax can be used as a painting medium. I use a
variety of sources of heat to melt and keep the wax hot, including hot
plates, deep fryers, heat guns and a torch to keep my paint at about 190-200
degrees while working in the studio. I use birch panels as a substrate and
natural bristle brushes to apply my paint. I have just seconds to get the
paint on the surface of my panels. As oil and acrylic paintings dry,
encaustic paintings cool.  I enjoy that the paint sets quickly as it allows
me to work quickly and intuitively and keeps me focused in the moment about
each creative choice. Encaustic attracts me because it is so versatile, I
can't imagine painting with anything else. It has an amazing surface quality
and can be used as a medium for collage. Since the surface is somewhat
pliable and soft when it is warm, I can impress texture into it and build up
surfaces. Many artists use it to create relief surfaces and 3-dimensional
elements.  I use a mixture of waxes, damar resin and powdered pigment to
make many of my own paints.
Encaustic paintings are archival and stable. Like any artwork, care should
be taken to protect them from surface damage and temperature extremes.  Do
not leave encaustic work in non-temperature controlled environments as it is
sensitive to cold below 40 degrees and heat above 130 degrees. The surface
can benefit from a light buffing with a soft cloth to remove dust and polish
the surface. Encaustic paintings are resistant to many of the environmental
factors that damage other types of artwork and should last many years if
cared for properly." --Amber George