It began in the fall of 2021 when I realized that I wasn’t actually in control of *my* world. At 46, one would think I knew that already, but it came as a bit of a shock and with no small amount of despair. And honestly, it’s all still a journey. Each day I have to open my fists that are unconsciously clenched around what I think is the issue in order to receive the gifts of freedom and love. I guess it’s just yet another way of saying “let go”. Carl Jung’s phrase “the two halves of life” speak to the truth of it I think in regards to timeline. As well as St. Teresa of Avila’s description of The Interior Castle. So that’s a bit of the heavy reading behind these works. On a technical note, these encaustic works are such a challenge! Think inlaid tile…the shapes of wax are relatively smooth on the surface but intricately embedded in each other. Encaustic means “to burn in” as the molten wax is actually painted with the fire of a blow torch. Once that river of wax is too hot, you lose control and it moves - often where you don’t want it to! It’s always interesting to see the connection between the physicalities of creating art and life itself.