A Portfolio of Encaustic Media by Michele Barnes
Michele Barnes was born in California, studied art in New York, and currently lives and works in Virginia. The artist is fascinated with nature and biology, and uses encaustic media to explore the aesthetics and forms of the natural world.
I like the way that Michele uses encaustics to her advantage in portraying not only the forms of her subjects, but also their unique textures. Encaustic -- a painting technique that utilizes molten beeswax mixed with pigment and fused to the artistic substrate -- allows for the buildup of sculptural moments on otherwise two-dimensional artworks. Michele’s works often feature textures like tree branches and flower petals with slightly raised detailing to create a more tactile viewing experience.
Michele works in a variety of other media across her portfolio. Her acrylic and mixed media artworks capture elements of nature with a fragmentary, collaged aesthetic, emphasizing impressions of subjects rather than focusing on detail.
