Polly Maccini is an experienced artist who has experimented with various mediums throughout her career. Her love of gardening and pollinators, however, led her to discover the beauty of encaustic painting.

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MY ENCAUSTIC PROCESS 

This ancient art form -- dating to the 5th century BCE -- begins with mixing pigments and wax on a substrate, such as a wood panel, which are then fused or burned in through the use of a heat source, such as a heat gun or propane torch. The molten, colored wax is added layer at a time. The process is both labor intensive and time consuming, but produce both magnificent color and texture. 

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I start by filtering beeswax from my hive to create my encaustic medium, a blend of beeswax and damar resin (8:1 ratio), melted together over heat. Pigments and oils are added to the molten mixture for vibrant colors.
 

Using a blowtorch or heat gun, I layer the wax on a wooden panel, reheating between layers to build texture and adhesion. Mixed media elements like alcohol inks, mica powders, and India ink add depth, while liquid shellac creates unique patterns when torched.
 

To preserve the artwork, avoid extreme temperatures and direct sunlight. Buff gently with a soft cloth to maintain its shine.