ABOUT ARTIST CAROL ELLIS

 I have lived in Hampshire since I was 5, but was born in Surrey. I have always loved being creative and I am particularly interested in colour, texture and patterns. I also love the countryside and the sea so I alternate between abstracts, landscapes and seascapes. I am drawn to vibrant bright colours which is evident in my artwork.

 Experimenting with new ideas and finding new ways with encaustic waxes is also a passion for me. I like to have something new up my sleeve.

Encaustic art came into my life in 1991. I experimented with it for 5 years before attending Michael Bossoms very first T1 course. This course was to achieve a recognised standard of teaching in the country.  The twelve of us in the group recieved our certificates a few weeks later after sending Michael 15 pieces of artwork to show we had reached the required standard. I began teaching shortly after in 1996.

 I have had my work published in Craft Creations magazine after being chosen from over 100 entries for a 'How To' article. If you subscribe to this magazine you will find the article in issue 2. Alternatively you can go to their website (www.craftcreations.co.uk) where you can download issue 2 and my article. Just click on free magazine download and choose issue 2. Then click on Encaustic Foxgloves by Carol Ellis. 

My paintings have sold at Craft Fairs in the past and I have also had my own exhibitions.

Some of my paintings have been sold and taken to other parts of the world.

After all these years I am still hooked and enjoy sharing  encaustic art with others when I teach at my studio. (Viables Craft Centre, Basingstoke.)

LITTLE BIT OF ENCAUSTIC HISTORY

Encaustic art is over 2000 years old. The Greeks, Egyptians and the Romans used fires, ladles, brushes and pallette knives to paint with. They used pigments from plants to dye the wax. The favourite material to paint on was thin wood. 

The modern way is less cumbersome. With the use of electrical appliances such as small irons and hotplates and for drawing and painting in detail  a stylus (which looks like a soldering iron but has a special nib like attachment) we can create lovely and unusual designs.  The stylus is  regulated to keep the temperature right unlike a soldering iron which would get far to hot for the wax. The iron has a special thermostat that stays at a constant temperature, so no cooling down as with an ordinary household or travel iron. For more advanced work hotplates, hot air guns and hairdryers are used and of course paint brushes and pallette knives. 

Wax paintings stand the test of time. You can see portraits in the British Museum that are still intact and some are believed to be over 2000 years old. All those years ago they would have to carry out a burning in process (encaustic means to burn in) this would fuse the wax together without disturbing the image. This process completely bonded the painting and is deemed to be permanant unless excessive heat is appplied. Wax melts at 60 degrees centigrade. That is the case for modern wax paintings too.

Encaustic art the modern way......why dont you have a go?

See the Encaustic Shop and the Course pages for information on Starter Sets and courses/workshops. Great idea for an unusual birthday present.

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All encaustic designs on this website are copyright Carol Ellis

Stamp use granted by Arts Encaustic International BV