Encaustic Process, Meredith of Wax and Pixels in her studio, Occidental, California

A while ago, Symphony and I drove out to West Sonoma County, to our friend Meredith's gorgeous studio in the redwoods, to photograph some of the process she uses to create the amazing encaustic pieces she makes for me. It was a wonderful day! Although I probably won't be able to (or want to) wear Symphony on my back for any more photo shoots... little girl is getting BIG.



I love the studio... I want to move in!







Here's Meredith holding some of the ingredients for the wax... this is the resin. Meredith told me that there are sometimes elephant hairs in it from where the elephants rub up on the trees that the resin comes from, I think in India. Did I get that right? Crazy!







More of the stuff... beeswax smells so good!!





From the Wax and Pixels website: "Through the encaustic process, a photograph you love is enriched with beeswax, resin and color -- transforming the photo from a transitory snapshot to an heirloom-worthy art piece. The natural qualities of the wax imbue the photograph with warmth and depth, a dreamlike translucence, as well as an enticing fragrance -- enriching the original photos, but not changing their nature."











"Encaustic is an ancient painting method, combining beewax, tree resin, and pigments to create a luminous, durable, and beautiful finished product. Unlike oil or synthetic binder-based mediums, which dry to harden, encaustic is first heated until it’s molten and liquid and then it hardens as it cools.

In an encaustic painting, the artist builds up multiple layers of translucent, paint-infused wax. Each layer is then melted or fused back together, bonding each layer. This is called "burning in," or in Greek, enkaustikos, the origin of the word "encaustic.""















And the cutest artist in her natural surroundings!

















Some of the residents of the studio property: