Julie Blythe   |   Encaustic Artist   |   Dallas 

I work in encaustic, which is a wax-based paint. Encaustic is a combination of bees wax and a natural tree sap called damar resin.

I begin by brushing at least 3 coats of this wax medium onto a cradled board. I then add marks and color, with a variety of tools and mediums. In this process, I build layers of pigmented wax, oil bars, pastels, and ink. I brush another layer of wax medium between each layer of design, and fuse it to the underlying layer. This creates dimension. At this point, I scrape the wax to adjust the texture.

The depths I can create in this medium intrigue me. I am investigating how to create flow, and how to balance control while remaining open to surprises. The imagery remains mysterious and reveals itself slowly, even to me.  Each viewer can find his or her own unique perspective of the finished work.

BIO

Julie is an artist living in Dallas, Texas with her husband.  She has two grown children, a son and daughter, who are now off on their own adventures. Julie received her B.A. degree in Fashion Merchandising at Oklahoma State University.

Julie began her art education when she was nine, the youngest student in oil painting class.  Over the years, she has sought artists and art schools to learn techniques in printmaking, collage, watercolor, acrylic, mix media and encaustic.  

“I don’t consider myself a self taught artist.  I have designed my own art education, but have been taught by incredibly talented teachers and mentors.  I’ve also been blessed to have attended courses at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, TX and Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan, CT.”