Ancient painting technique produces vivid results

Master class at college Middletown — Laura Moriarty will present a master class and demonstration on encaustic painting technique at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, in Harriman Hall, Room 115, on the campus of Orange County Community College. Encaustic paints are wax-based and produce vivid colors. This type of paint dates back to the fifth century BC. The pigment sticks have a consistency like a soft lipstick, or butter. With the aid of electricity, the paint is heated easily. Heating adds a new dimension because the paint can be moved and the image changed. The wax in encaustic makes this medium more versatile. Moriarty, director of exhibitions and workshops at R&F Handmade Paints in Kingston, is an encaustic painter and printmaker. She will demonstrate how encaustic paints are applied directly to a surface from pigment sticks without the use of brushes. The master class and demonstration will give participants a close look at the many uses of encaustic and the technique involved in its application. Harriman Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and East Conkling Avenues in Middletown. This is a Lyceum event, which is free and open to the public. It is made possible by the college’s Department of Cultural Affairs, which can be reached at 341-4891 or cultural@sunyorange.edu.