ABOUT LISA CROOKE

As a former fulltime CFO, I spent my days working with numbers, spreadsheets, charts, and figures. This was all good, but it was in 2012 when I learned about encaustic.

 

In 2012, I attended my first encaustic (hot wax) workshop and loved it. I was completely drawn to this ancient art form. It was so cool to be working with bees wax and the fire from my torch. Over the ensuing years, I took classes and worked with the medium on the back patio of our CA home, hanging bed sheets to block the wind that was taking control of my torch flame.  When working with hot wax, proper ventilation is essential, so being outdoors is safe but less than ideal.

 

I made the commitment to art in 2017 and built a 10x12 studio in my backyard with proper ventilation. I continued to work with hot wax and improved my skills. Then in 2020, during covid I decided to venture into cold wax. Cold wax paintings are comprised of oil paint mixed with a cold wax medium. It was all new to me and I was quickly addicted to this new art medium.

 

I am an intuitive and abstract painter, creating abstracted landscapes and non-representational pieces. I am motivated by the colors in nature and the beauty of the world that surrounds us.

 

When I go into the studio, I just start playing with color by applying paint onto the surface.  I let my mood guide me. I don't (usually) start with a plan. My best wax art pieces are made of many layers building up to the final piece.  It always amazes to me to see where pieces start and where they end up. It takes patience, letting go and a commitment to knowing the piece will end up being what it wants to be.