Materials / Techniques and Process
I usually work with purchased wooden cradled panels although I have built my own when a specialized size is required . There is satisfaction in constructing panels , however , shop access and time constraints become deciding factors . Most frequently I work with relatively small panels ; a consideration for storage , transportation and shipping costs .
Often working on a series , the wooden panels are prepared by sanding and taping the edges . A layout and scale sketches are made , pieces of metal are selected , cut , shaped to fit , and filed and sometimes torched for added interest .
The Industrial Landscape , encaustic , concrete , salvaged metal and image transfers on panel work , 12 x 24 inches , 2015
To protect the surface from scratches , the metal is heated , a thin layer of wax applied and then buffed . The metal is then built up with balsa or thin plywood to ensure the height of the metal , wax and concrete is uniform and square strips of 1 / 8 ” wood are glued along the edges on the support where concrete and wax meet .