Linda Womack working in her encaustic studioEncaustic painting is immediate and physical, requiring patience in building up layers of wax, then scraping parts of them away. My introduction to this amazing medium was a happy accident. Several years ago I read an article about it, completely entranced by the images in the magazine but concerned with how complicated and time consuming it sounded. I left the article open on the table and thought nothing more of trying it until I opened a gift of five pounds of beeswax and a crock pot from my very observant husband. At first all I made was a mess, but after realizing that I needed a few specialized tools and a little training, I was on my way and have never looked back!

In my work, I am infatuated with the details of the natural world. My work gets up close and personal with the bits you flick off your coat and the stuff that crunches beneath your shoes. I capture these images then drop them into unfamiliar worlds that pair calm and chaos.

I teach encaustic classes in cities across the United States and in my private studio in Portland, Oregon. I am the author of Embracing Encaustic: Learning to Paint with Beeswax. In 2010 I was the curator for Luminous Layers: Exploring Contemporary Encaustic, a wide ranging exhibit in Oregon featuring 65 artists and more than 160 pieces of art. I am often a featured speaker and instructor at the National Encaustic Conference and my work has been published in American Art Collector and Encaustic with a Textile Sensibility. You can see more of my work on my web site at http://www.lindawomack.com.

For more information, please visit her website at http://www.lindawomack.com.