鈥淲axed and Polished鈥� an exhibit including 鈥榓ll things encaustic,鈥� opens at the Pencil Studio in Fort 91原创 on Saturday, May 24.

The exhibit of work by Abbotsford artist Kathleen Menges will include both painting and sculpture.

鈥淢y style is from representational paintings to abstract and abstract expressionism,鈥� said Menges.

鈥淚 am inspired by colour, line, and texture. The process is intuitive, and gestural.

鈥淭here is a part of me that likes to express myself in different forms, so I am happy to add some sculptures to this exhibition.鈥�

Encaustics, is one of the oldest painting mediums in the world, Menges explained. In the process, beeswax is heated and pigments are added. Resin is then added to bind and to give shine and durability to the paint.

Encaustic mean 鈥榯o burn.鈥� In a painting, each layer of colour is burned in and fused to the layer below it. Some paintings are comprised of more than 20 layers.

Because molten coloured beeswax is translucent, the artist is able to reveal what lies underneath, deep within the painting.

鈥淭he high shine and the translucent quality of encaustics is what attracted me to it in the first place,鈥� said Menges.

鈥淪o the name Waxed and Polished suits me to a tee.鈥�

Menges exhibit will be on display at the Pencil Studio Art Gallery until June 15. An artists鈥� reception will be held on Saturday, May 24, from  6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Pencil Studio, operated by Fort 91原创 artist Pat Barker, is located at #19-23230 Billy Brown Rd.

To learn more, go to kathleenmenges.com.