Lori Austill ’85

For 25 years Lori created paintings on plaster. In the last 15 years she has been making encaustic paintings. This is an ancient technique using hot pigmented beeswax and a tree sap (Damar resin) which elevates the melting temperature and acts as a hardener for the wax. Lori uses a hot griddle as her palette. Each layer is fused to the next with a torch or heat gun. She builds up layers and also carves back to layers below. Human connections to each other and our planet, the natural world in all its splendors, permaculture, color, music (particularly jazz), human courage and dance are her ongoing inspirations. She hopes her work creates a deeper caring for our planet.