“Beauty in the Breakdown”

Hiking through a favorite forest on my fiftieth birthday, I was delighted to find huge toadstools on the forest floor. This specimen was particularly large and, despite being the sad recipient of someone’s shoe, retained its beauty. When peering closely, the treads created small windows to frame the magnificent patches of yellowy orange that mottled the surface. Our perceptions can change when we shift our perspective. As we know, destruction can also bring new creation.

This macro photograph was printed onto paper and layered with molten beeswax and damar resin, fused repeatedly between each layer, meticulously carved, and pigmented end-to-end with powdered pigment and oil pastels. This encaustic carving was mounted onto a birch panel and framed, ready to hang on your wall.