Kathy Bradshaw works

Kathy Bradshaw is a Saskatchewan encaustic & oil artist who specializes in landscape and animal portraiture.  Her luminous work exudes energy and emotion and is characterized by expressive mark-making, colour, texture and light.

Bradshaw’s landscapes focus on the power of space and are generally devoid of human influence or presence so that the viewer can solitarily embrace the beauty and solitude of the northern landscape before them.  Seduced by animal forms for their emotional and symbolic connections, Bradshaw strives to capture their “inner landscapes” through gaze and gesture, resulting in soulful portraits that are often close-up, immersive and eye-to-eye.

Since receiving her BFA with great distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 2005, Kathy has enriched her practice through workshops and mentorships with local and international artists, international artist residencies and solo and group shows across Canada and the U.S.  She has won numerous awards for her work and was named a “Saskatchewan Artist to Watch” in 2019.  Bradshaw’s work is represented by galleries across Canada, and her paintings are part of collections throughout North America and around the world.

Brief Background and Care of Encaustic

• Encaustic is an ancient medium treasured for its luminosity, layering capabilities and ability to invoke memory and   mystery.


•  It is the oldest painting medium still in use today, dating back to ancient Greece (1000B.C.) In the late 1800's, thousands of encaustic paintings were unearthed from burial chambers in Egypt and were found to be in  pristine condition, a testament to the longevity of encaustic work.


• Undergoing a current revival, today’s encaustic is commonly comprised of molten beeswax, oil paint or pigments and dammar resin (to make it more resilient and shiny) and is applied to wooden panels with brushes and palette knives.
  
  


• To ensure a permanent bond, all layers are fused together with a heat source such as a heat gun or blow torch. An encaustic painting’s durable enamel-like surface dries quickly and is impervious to moisture, mildew, dust, shrinkage, darkening, fading, yellowing and cracking (unless the artwork is exposed to freezing temperatures or the support is not rigid enough).
  
  


• Encaustic paints are a very durable form of painting when properly cared for. If a painting is placed in a warm room in your home it will NOT melt...the smell of beeswax will simply be elevated, and as with all artwork, avoid hanging your painting in direct sunlight.
  
  

When fresh, encaustic wax may develop a white cloudy film called “bloom.” After a while, this will cease. This condition may be reversed and the original luster regained by simply buffing the surface with a clean, seamless cotton cloth in a random circular motion. As time goes by and the waxes cure and harden, buffing may not be necessary as it will keep its polished look. If you must transport your painting in hot or cold weather, cover the entire wax surface with wax paper, then cardboard, and some form of insulation. When the painting is at room temperature remove the wax paper and unwrap the painting.

Encaustic paintings do not need to be varnished or protected by glass; an occasional dusting or light polishing with soft cotton will continue to preserve its soft, satiny sheen.

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