05/27/2026
Final Week: Barb Cone: “Melting Point”
April 29 - May 31, 2026
My first introduction to encaustic was in a workshop decades ago in the high desert of New Mexico. Encaustic was a perfect medium to express the sharp edges and high color contrasts of this landscape. Representational work was difficult if not impossible, so shapes were abstracted, the surfaces built up and carved back. he melted beeswax filled the studio with its own sweet smell. Within a short time I was hooked.
While encaustic paintings are usually small-scale due to the difficulty of controlling the movement of the melted paint, my goal has been to push the boundaries by working ever larger. The work has become more physical as I work larger. This created a particular problem this past Fall after I shattered my leg, had metal pieces implanted during emergency surgery and was laid up for six months. I think of “Melting Point” as “my fractured leg challenge.”
4d
