Encaustics: Collage & Mixed Media

2-Day Workshop with Sally Hootnick

Saturday-Sunday October 25-26, 2025, 12pm-4pm

Encaustic painting is an ancient painting technique invented by the Greeks, who used wax for practical and decorative reasons on their boats. 

Dive into a rich, layered world of encaustic painting in this two-day weekend workshop focused on collage and mixed media techniques.  Students will create an encaustic collage painting with molten pigmented wax, which is applied and onto a substrate surface, such as wood panels, and fused in with a heat source.  They will explore how to incorporate paper, photographs, and drawing materials such as oil sticks and pastels into their encaustic work to create dynamic, dimensional compositions.  You will leave with a finished collage. While a basic understanding of encaustic painting is helpful, it is not required—beginners are also welcome. We’ll cover essential safety practices, demonstrate key techniques, and offer plenty of hands-on time to experiment and create.

Supplies Fee To Be Paid Directly to Instructor:  $50 material fee for the workshop. All materials will be provided: heating tools, paints, brushes and 4 panels per student.

Supply List:  While the following materials are provided, participants are welcome to bring their own collage papers, photographs, or other flat materials they’d like to incorporate into their design.

Non-Members $250 / Members $240

Sally Hootnick is a professional artist, living and working in Syracuse and Chautauqua, New York. Painting primarily in encaustics and oil paints, her work employs bold color and brushstrokes, informed by the natural world, the geometry of objects, and the effects of light on color., Sally’s paintings are held in public and private collections in the US and Europe.

With a  degree in biology and education from the State University of NY, she subsequently continued her art education with studio courses at Syracuse University, Cazenovia College, SUNY Geneseo, The School of Art: Chautauqua Institution. She is an R & F Certified Encaustic Instructor.