10/12/2026
The Anatomy of a Handmade Encaustic Fish
When you look at one of my finished pieces, you are seeing the final stage of an intense, multi-week physical and archival journey. For all of the fish, I did not buy ready-made wood cut outs; instead, each piece begins as a raw sheet of wood that I personally design, cut, and sand into its final dimensional shape.
To ensure these works endure for generations, the process requires a precise chain of master-craftsmanship and fine-art chemistry:
• The Foundation: The reverse side of each panel is sealed with multiple coats of Minwax Polycrylic to completely lock out moisture and prevent the wood from warping over time.
• The Ground: The face of the wood is primed with specialized encaustic gesso, establishing a highly absorbent, toothy surface specifically formulated for the heavy layers to come.
• The Underpainting: I map out the vibrant depth of the underwater world using GOLDEN SoFlat acrylics, creating a perfectly matte, velvety, and lightfast color base.
• The Dimensional Depth: Finally, I build up translucent layers of molten beeswax and damar resin, fusing each layer with a heat gun to trap light and color under a glass-like surface.
From raw timber and power tools to delicate pigment manipulation and hours of hand-buffing, every single fish is a permanent, multi-layered object. It is a true labor of patience, precision, and passion.
