For me, encaustic art is true organic alchemy. While I often find myself struggling in an attempt to control it, I realize that the unpredictable nature of the medium is what makes it so appealing to me. It forces me to let go, and watch in awe as the mystery of the finished piece unfolds. The temperature, the chemistry of the intermingling materials, even gravity, all have a say in the way everything comes together. The lessons I’ve learned while exploring this art have transcended the walls of my studio and have become guiding principles in my life.

The need to take control of one’s life is important. As suggested by many life coaches out there, I agree that I need to set my sights and have a clear target in order to accomplish anything of significance. And yes, there are times when it’s necessary to be laser-focused and unrelenting in the pursuit of my goals. But what these people sometimes don’t acknowledge is the fact that no one can control everything. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to let go, allow the forces of nature take over, and to expect beautiful results.

In art, I always have some control- I can control which brushes I select and the color of paint and the direction of my strokes. Even so, it doesn’t always turn out exactly the way I imagined it to be. Just like in life, there are countless natural forces at work. The so-called “butterfly effect”. How will the temperature of the surface, the airflow and movement of the heat gun, the temperature of the wax and the angle of the substrate all work together to affect the result? What about the chemistry of the intermingling materials; the pigment and the wax and the resin? Will the colors blend, or repel a little? Will they flow together to create lovely little swirls, or just roll across the board, wiping out the soft patterns that had been created in the last pass of the heat gun? This parallels life in so many ways. I have learned that I can control what I do and how I interact with the world and people in my life. But I can’t control the challenges and obstacles I have to face each day and as much as I may try, I can’t change other people.

The reassuring part is knowing that if my art doesn’t turn out as well as I had hoped it would, I can always rework it, over and over. I can transform the piece until it works, until its true form emerges. In the end, it may never be perfect, but sometimes the imperfections are what make it real and what make it beautiful. And sometimes it’s more about the journey than it is about the destination. Kind of like life.