Artist Brenda Walker works in encaustics, which involves adding pigments to heated beeswax and then applying that medium to a surface. Having been the owner/operator of a cake decorating business for more than two decades in Calgary, Brenda loved working with beeswax because of its similarity to icing. The transition into painting was natural for her and she is now a full-time artist, residing on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. Each of Brenda's paintings consists of many layers of wax, which are fused, scraped and carved until the desired amount of texture and depth are achieved. Her representational style reflects a simplicity that allows the viewers' own creative thoughts or memories to interact with the paintings.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Since I can remember, I have thought of myself as an artist. Whatever the medium, I have dabbled in it. Whatever supplies are required, I own them. Whatever there is to learn, I am the keen and willing student. Learning and growing, as an artist, fascinates me and propels me forward with great enthusiasm.
Encaustic painting has captured my heart and soul. From the smell of the molten beeswax to the magical way that it fuses together into layers upon layers of translucent color and texture. I love how the wax can be sculpted, scraped and gouged. It is perfect for layering found objects such as string, bark, fabric and paper. It is mesmerizing how the heat from my torch can turn the solid wax surface into a liquified state. There is nothing like watching it puddle and swirl, and then within minutes of cooling, return to its solid state. Its appearance then is totally different than when I started.
Nature has always been my muse. My style is simplistic and representational of my own visual and emotional experiences. My goal is to engage the viewer, have them get lost in the layers and textures of the wax: to strike a chord, perhaps stimulating happy thoughts of the past and memories that make them smile.