This beginner-friendly workshop is 3-day collage-forward exploration of working with natural materials and botanical impressions in encaustic. Set during the height of summer, students will be able to incorporate Western North Carolina's natural bounty in their art!

We'll cover creating and embedding nature prints, embedding and collaging plant materials in wax, and even making direct plant impressions in the encaustic surface. Made of filtered beeswax and natural tree resin, encaustic has a soft glow and an organic feel which works well with nature themes.

During the workshop, students will…

• Make plant prints using gel plates and encaustic-friendly inks on a variety of papers 
  

• Learn the basics of working with encaustic including safety, tools, materials, and applying and fusing layers of encaustic wax
  

• Develop their own encaustic collages using a combination of nature prints, pressed natural materials, and found collage materials
  

• Incorporate dry, dimensional botanical elements to their pieces using a variety of attachment methods
  

• Create direct impressions in the wax using fresh plant material, encaustic paint, and oil paints
  

• Use mixed media like oil paints and pan pastels to enhance their encaustic collage and wax impressions
  

Students will have the opportunity to complete several pieces, working both on wood and heavy paper. The three day format allows students plenty of time to practice and absorb the techniques!