I finished a test piece on some new techniques I'm trying recently and wanted to get it up to share. One of my goals for the online residency I am in was to explore self portraits in new ways. For a few simple techniques, I chose this single self portrait that I'm working with in several different ways.

This first method involves the image glued down to the base surface, then covered with colored and clear wax, and then covered completely with white wax that was melted and fused together. For the final step, I began revealing the hidden face underneath by scraping back the wax. This is a method I got from artist fellow encaustic artist Michelle Belto. I love how it removes an element of control to cover up the underlying image completely... you really don't know exactly what you'll get as you begin to reveal.

I found it not only an interesting process, but a therapeutic one. As I began to reveal, a single eye came through, peering back at me. It felt surprisingly emotional, like I was literally finding myself once again after years of living a life had piled more things on and made it hard to find "me". Powerful stuff. I'm looking forward to exploring all sorts of ways of using this technique, both physically and symbolically, to reveal what's underneath the surface. <3