The Hive Encaustic Studio

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A little about me, my family and my inspiration.

I became an artist because I’m endlessly curious about how images evolve when they’re transformed by heat, colour, and texture—and because creating feels like a way of making sense of the world. Art gives me space to explore beauty, stillness, and the quiet stories that live in everyday moments.

I work primarily in encaustic. My work blends photography, watercolour, and layers of molten beeswax to create pieces that feel both textural and atmospheric that invite viewers to look a little deeper.

I love sharing this medium with others, whether through workshops, talks, or time spent experimenting in the studio. If you’re curious about encaustic art, want to see what I’m working on, or are looking for upcoming classes, you’re in the right place.

Thanks for being here — I’m excited to share my creative world with you. 🐝✨

Photos...
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If you’ve never heard of encaustic before, it’s an ancient art form made with molten beeswax, resin, and pigment. The wax is heated until it becomes liquid, then brushed onto a surface in layers and fused with heat. What draws me to it—beyond its history and luminous beauty—is the way the wax responds to heat, touch, and time. Each layer can be fused, carved, polished, or scraped back, allowing the artwork to evolve organically. The surface becomes both a record of what’s been added and a glimpse of what lies beneath, creating a depth that’s difficult to achieve with any other medium.

In my own practice, I often begin with photography or watercolours, grounding the work in image, colour, or mood. These elements are layered beneath translucent wax, where they soften, shift, and sometimes transform entirely. From there, I build the piece slowly—adding pigment, carving lines, embedding marks, and fusing each stage with heat. The process is as much about intuition as technique, letting the wax guide me as much as I guide it.

What I love most about encaustic is its tactile presence. The medium encourages experimentation: it can be smooth or textured, opaque or transparent, controlled or wild. Every pass of the torch or brush reveals something new. My work is an ongoing exploration of how memory, imagery, and material interact—how stories surface through layers of wax, colour, and light.

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About My Workshops

My workshops are built around curiosity, creativity, and the sheer joy of working with encaustic. Whether you’re completely new to the medium or looking to deepen your practice, each class offers a supportive space to explore techniques, ask questions, and follow your own artistic direction.

I guide participants through the foundations of encaustic—safety, tools, heat, layering, and fusing—while also introducing ways to integrate photography, watercolour, collage, and mixed media. From intuitive mark-making to more structured image transfers and textural approaches, the workshops are hands-on and process-driven, encouraging both play and discovery.

What I love most about teaching is witnessing the moment when the wax, the heat, and the imagery start to click together for each person. No two pieces—or artists—are ever the same, and that’s what makes the experience so inspiring.

If you’re interested in joining a workshop, upcoming dates, descriptions, and registration details are available on my website. You’re also welcome to reach out directly if you have questions or want help finding the right class for your skill level or creative goals.

Karenbrownencaustics.com
[email protected]

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The last steps before a piece gets wired and delivered.
All part of the process.

I've been nominated in the Art lessons category. This is my first Caledon Votes nomination and I am so grateful for all who made that happen...win or lose.
Here is a Voting link if you feel so obliged!

https://caledon.communityvotes.com/2025/03/education-lessons-and-courses/art-schools-lessons

Posted • Work in progress. Going to be a fun long weekend in the studio. Finally getting a chance to finish off some pieces that have been waiting for me.

May 1 2025. The new Hive location in studio 216 .mill