Statement-Cathy Leaycraft
About five years ago I started seeing art works that intrigued me. They were made with the hot wax medium, encaustic, so I began experimenting. Encaustic gives my photographs the texture and depth I have long admired in paintings. In addition, I can manipulate the surface with traditional and non-traditional objects, like brushes, hammers, combs, etc. I can also scrape out areas revealing more of the photograph underneath.
Because I wanted the work to be more abstract, I began taking photographs that were both representational and abstract. The horizon line moved to different positions, and I found that a large sky area provided a good area for atmospheric creativity.
About the Artist
Bio-Cathy Leaycraft Cathy Leaycraft has been photographing for over 30 years. In 1976 she moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she resides today. At that time she was working with other artists creating Video Documentaries. This led her to the study of still photography, which she started at the University of Delaware and continued at the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has evolved from Xerox copy machines, to Photoshop collage, then to reflected landscape, and now, the use of Encaustic on her photographs. Ms. Leaycraft’s work is held in many public and private collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MOMA and the Baltimore Museum of Art. She exhibits widely, and has received many grants and awards. For more information visit: www.CathyLeaycaft.comCATHY LEAYCRAFT website View Website CATHY LEAYCRAFT website View Gallery CATHY LEAYCRAFT website Purchase Art
Artist's Statement
My Process: A mixture of beeswax and damar resin is heated to about 200 degrees and applied with a brush to a surface. The surface is one of my photographs printed on watercolor paper and mounted on board. After this layer of wax cools, it is “fixed” by reheating the wax with a heat gun. Additional layers are added in the same way. I use three or four layers before making textural patterns in the wax surface, carving out elements, or adding pastel pigments.Featured Work
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