Artist Sharon De Valentin will unveil her latest exhibition, titled Held in Wax & Memory, at Ganmain’s Lush Creative Galleries in Ford Street on 19 June. In a rare opportunity, Sharon’s exhibition features an ancient art form and is described as a collection of moments from a life lived fully and an exploration of becoming, with encaustic works created through a process involving wax, heat, pressure and touch. Research into ancient artistic techniques led Sharon to “encaustic” painting and as a self-taught artist, she has spent many hours studying tutorials and learning from an international network of encaustic artists online. Derived from the Greek word enkaustikos, meaning to burn in or fuse, encaustic is an ancient painting technique dating back as far as the fifth century BC - a process where fire is used to melt layers of beeswax and mixed pigment to create images. Sharon, who is passionate about creating images, while putting her own stamp on the centuries-old art tradition, said the creative force behind all her artworks was fire “I have coined the term from Apiary to Artistry to describe my process from start to finish,” she said. “I paint and sculpt with beeswax and fire. “This captivates me; it really gets into my mind. “I can't think of anything else.” Sharon’s solar-filtered beeswax is sourced from local beekeepers and she also constructs many of her own painting surfaces using wood and paper mache clay to paint and sculpt, allowing complete freedom over size and form. Her encaustic journey started with Bill the Boutique Beekeeper, who lives nearby and supplies Sharon with the essential pure, solar-filtered beeswax that is then filtered through fine muslin to remove natural debris. The exhibition, which starts at 6pm on opening night, will run across June 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 28, with artworks available for viewing and purchase. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn more about the ancient medium during an artist talk and live demonstration on Saturday 20 June from 10am to noon. Opening night tickets are $15 and include refreshments, while the Saturday artist talk and demonstration, including morning tea, will also cost $15. Bookings are essential by messaging 0402 321 831 as numbers are limited.
