MIRA M . WHITE
The most compelling , even haunting , force propelling my images is an unquenchable thirst for recording and expressing transformation . I try to synthesize different influences in my life into a rich and complex imagery that tells of the connection between the outer experience of daily life and the inner world of a developing spiritual heart .
From the time I was a child , I felt that there was something , an “ essence “ to be found . The vehicle I chose for my quest was fine art . It is my yoga . My artistic expression has centered on painting and drawing , and , over time , I have included in my arsenal of media the following : oils , acrylics , watercolor , soft pastels , all drawing processes and intaglio printmaking . Wax is the newest member of my family . It grabbed me in August of 2010 with its amazing translucency and ability to synthesize my diversified methods of developing paintings .
When I first began working with wax , I limited myself to black & white media on 8 ” x8 ” 8 ply museum board glued to panels . The fact that I had no history with this medium , had looked at very little work done with wax and had never really established any criteria for “ good or bad ” encaustic painting , gave me incredible freedom to play with this medium in a way that I have not felt with any other . What if ? has become my internal mantra . I trained myself . I purchased several informative books on Encaustic and went at it . Soon I began making medium and paint . My experiments focused originally on incorporating a variety of mediums before I applied the wax . I gradually became more adventurous and experimental , waxing and layering with multiple mediums . I was and am fascinated by the both contemporary and primal sensory feel of the wax . I draw , layer , scrape , carve and melt . These pieces have a unique presence and I have found I enjoy a smooth look to my work , as it enhances the multiple mediums and layers I attempt to include in my finished pieces .
In order to achieve the quality of layering that is so important to me , I needed to find a fixative that would seal both dry pastel and graphite images both before and after I applied a wax layer . I experimented with a fixative that I have been using for over 30 years for my soft pastel paintings and graphite drawings . It works beautifully and is very simple to make . The ingredients are ½ fat free milk and ½ 70 % isopropyl rubbing