Well, guess who got to show off the magical marriage of encaustic and batik to a room full of professors, lecturers, and young artists? Yep — me! Thanks to Markmedia (the Jackson’s Art of China) and R&F Handmade Paints, I was invited to Beijing to lead a professional encaustic workshop. It was an honor to share this medium with such a distinguished group, and a thrill to see how quickly they embraced the possibilities.
My journey with wax began long before R&F paints and professional workshops. It started in Malaysia, where childhood experiments with batik left a trail of spoiled irons and a very patient (and sometimes strict!) mom. Those early lessons planted the seed for a lifelong fascination with wax — not only as a material but as a way of thinking about layers, transparency, and transformation.
Over the years, I’ve worked extensively with encaustic as a professional practice, exploring its rich potential for mixed media. What excites me most is how R&F’s high-quality encaustic materials allow for both painterly depth and experimental play — the kind of freedom that keeps me pushing the boundaries of the medium.
That’s why I’ve decided to expand my Dream Archipelago series into a new body of work: Archipelago in Wax. This series will explore islands of imagination through the tactile, luminous qualities of encaustic. It’s still in progress, but I’ll be sharing updates soon as the series takes shape.
A heartfelt thank you again to Markmedia and R&F Handmade Paints for giving me the opportunity to teach and connect with such an inspiring community.
