Blue house reflection, encaustic by Katie HutchisonRecommended New England course in encaustic painting

Last fall I took my first encaustic workshop. I chose a RISD Continuing Education weekend workshop much like the one RISD is offering this spring. It was great fun to experiment with a new-to-me, unpredictable medium. The encaustic painting I created above was my favorite by-product of the weekend. I say “by-product” because it’s the process of making that so engages me. It’s an added bonus when I’m happy with the resulting artwork.

Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education

As a RISD alum, I am an unabashed fan of all things RISD. If you live within reasonable driving distance from Providence, I highly recommend you explore RISD’s continuing education offerings. If you live more than a reasonable driving distance from Providence, consider booking a weekend getaway. You’ll be glad you did.

Encaustic (Weekend Workshop)
Instructor: Taleen Batalian
Saturday and Sunday: April 21 and 22, 10am-4pm
Tuition: $220
Lab fee: $20

“Encaustic, an ancient technique used to create commemorative wax portraits in Roman and Egyptian art, is once again becoming a popular medium for artists. Also called hot wax painting, encaustic is the process of creating an image from molten beeswax colored with pigments and then applied to a surface -- either wood, masonite or canvas. The wax cools in minutes, enabling the application of many successive coats. Smoothing and scraping the wax, painting between each layer, and using heat to bind the layers creates a finish with a lustrous enamel-like appearance. By working from both invented imagery and direct observation, students of all skill levels are encouraged to experiment and allow their paintings to evolve as they reheat and rework surfaces until the desired effect is achieved.”

Class and schedule are subject to change so check program websites for updates.

Take a look at my continuing-education posts from previous seasons to get a sense of the many quality continuing education programs operating in the region. Enroll in a workshop, demonstration, or presentation on a lark, and get your creative juices flowing.  Experience continuing-education bliss.

by Katie Hutchison for House Enthusiast