Carol James
United States
Artist's Statement
The majestic landscapes that capture our hearts are disappearing at an alarming
rate. Preserving the beauty of that natural environment may only be possible if artists
put brush to canvas. This is my primary focus and I choose to capture it with reverence, as it was
created, with a realistic approach. I am self-taught and my medium is an ancient one, Encaustics, the "burning in"
of pigmented beeswax into a chosen canvas. It seems appropriate that this ancient and durable medium once used to capture
images of a declining Egypt now preserve what remains of our modern vanishing
world.
My current work embodies both the breathtaking landscapes with
which we have long been familiar and the challenges they face. The
subject matter spans the globe, resulting from extensive travel and
residences abroad. Favorites are Australia, as well as the American
southwest and New England. In addition, encaustics lends itself to
brilliant abstracts resulting from a fluid medium and vibrant colors.
I enjoy composing these as they offer a balance from the rigors of
detailed landscapes.
Artists have the opportunity to represent the issues of the day, to
prompt creative thought . . . to empower. As a young girl I often
walked the tide line of Florida beaches where I grew up, and thought to
myself what a joy it would be to always be beachcomber. I find myself
applying that today by picking up that tidbit that needs sharing with
the world, perhaps an environmental concern or specific threats to our
world, and representing it in art. All of us . . . the painters, the
songwriters, the storytellers of the world . . . are "center stage."
We are looked upon for the beauty and inspiration we are able to
create. In the process, we might incorporate a message that needs
telling. This is how I have chosen to tell the tale.
Encaustics, A Unique and Durable Medium
Encaustics is an ancient medium used by artisans for more than two
thousand years. The process involves the suspension of earth pigments
into melted beeswax and application with heated instruments to a chosen
canvas. Modern electric tools replace ancient charcoal heated
implements and today's pre-pigmented waxes insure consistency of color
and vibrant hues.
Earliest examples of encaustic paintings date to ancient Greece
where it was used to adorn sculptures, murals, boats, and
architecture. This Greek influence spread to Egypt in the Hellenistic
period. At that time, encaustic techniques were used in the
preparation of mummy or "soul" portraits. Examples have been excavated
in the Faiyum District near Cairo. These soul portraits were commonly
prepared on wood panels and attached to mummies in prosperous
families.
Encaustic painting flourished in Greece from the 2nd Century BC to
the 4th Century AD, and inevitably spread to Rome. In the first
century BC, Julius Caesar commissioned an encaustic painting from the
artist Timomakos for the equivalent of $350,000. The technique was
lost for a time but re-emerged in the mid-18th Century. Beautifully
preserved wall fragments from Herculaneum and Pompeii (79 BC) were
discovered in the mid-1700's. Throughout the ages, such notables as
Napoleon, Ludwig I, and Catherine the Great commissioned artists to
create personal encaustic masterpieces.
A twentieth century resurgence in the use of encaustics occurred in Central and
South American countries. Its popularity in Mexico is evidenced by Diego Rivera's encaustic murals throughout
Mexico City. The medium has also been widely used in the preparation of retablos, images
of the saints, in the American Southwest. Jasper Johns, a southern born artist, is renowned for his use of encaustics
in the mid-1900's. Johns and some of his contemporaries challenged the nature of painting and the
assumptions of older expressionists. His extensive use of encaustic waxes allowed him to create texture and apply
common objects into his very simplistic work.
In recent years the encaustic revival has spread to other areas of
the country and around the world. Its durability is evidenced by it's
survival through antiquity. Encaustic paintings, unlike work in other
mediums, are less subject to fading due to exposure to the elements.
As pigments are suspended in a malleable substance, beeswax, they
retain their vibrancy. Encaustic work is also less susceptible to
damage from moisture as the wax is impermeable. Careful attention to
the care and display of encaustic artwork, as with any fine art piece,
insures its survival.
