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The term "encaustic" means "with heat" and usually refers to paint made with wax as a binder for pigments (instead of linseed oil for oil paint, or, acrylic base for acrylic paint) and applied to canvas or paper with heat.
The encaustic process was primarily used by the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. The process was lost through the Middle Ages. During the classicist period of the 17th century themes from the history of Greece and Rome were highly popular. In the hope of learning how the Greeks had painted, the artists of that era asked scholars to comb through the remnants of texts left by the Greeks for all references to painting techniques The scholars found numerous references to fires burned down to hot embers with boards placed on top and pots of melted wax into which pigments were added. Painting took place on the super heated boards which allowed the wax-paint to stay fluid because of the heat. Having an open fire burning in a studio was dangerous and impractical for 17th century artists and, unhappily they found they could not emulate the Greeks in their painting methods. The medium was not seriously used again until the mid-20th century. With the invention of electricity the medium has become practical and can be employed in a simple and safe manner. Preble invented a heat-surface table to take the place of the ancient fires and after 20 years of experimentation he has resurrected this ancient process in nearly its original form.
Preble combines pigments with melted wax and makes all of her colors by hand. To begin painting she will place a piece of paper or canvas on a specially designed heat table. By varying the temperature of the heat-table she is able to achieve effects similar to pastel, water color or oil paint in her works. Most recently Preble has been experimenting with thick layers of wax to simulate the effect of a rock surface and carving into that surface to create replicas of ancient petroglyphs.
The process of painting is time consuming and requires the application of not less than three layers of wax to achieve the desired effects. But, Preble will say, it is worth it because no other medium has the luminosity of bees wax. His masterly application of color coupled with the inherent qualities of this superior medium serve to create works that shimmer with an inner light of their own. The finished pieces are durable and have the added quality of radiance that only a binder like pure bees wax can give. Preble's paintings will not melt unless heat is directly applied and, when treated with the same care as any fine oil painting, these splendid works of art will last indefinitely.
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