Elemental Flow

The Elemental flow series reflects impressions of the North American landscape stimulated by two unique travel experiences. The opportunity to traverse the United States from east to west, then south to north along the Pacific coast, followed by a northern return west to east, at low altitude, in a single engine plane piloted by my son, afforded me an unprecedented view of our nation. A second journey of 13,000 miles by car spanned the distance from the mid-Atlantic region of the US to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and back, via alternate routes when possible. The profound dichotomy of the Alaskan pipeline snaking it’s way over the stunning and rugged Brooks range and subsequently miles of tundra, compelled a visual response. The continent is vast and astonishingly beautiful, but surprisingly rife with human incursion.

The elemental flow paintings do not represent specific places, but filtered remembrances. They are created by layering multiple encaustic colors and subjecting the surface to radiant infra-red heat - analogous to the sun’s rays striking the earth. Color rises and falls according to how the elements of composition absorb heat. Once cool, the surface is carved or “etched” with tools, followed by the inlay of encaustic and pigment stick color.