Bishop’s Palace Birds, St Davids, Pembrokeshire

Encaustic on marine ply, 94cm x 94cm SOLD

I made many sketches of these Jackdaws hopping about by the Bishop’s Palace in St Davids. When having to draw fast I favour mark making while looking at the subject, not the paper. In this way, one is able to capture the movement if not the form. I felt these birds were probably the direct descendants of the Jackdaws that were hopping about when the medieval palace was being built. In the top corners of the composition I have included motifs from medieval tiles, which might have been made near Malvern.

Encaustic enables the technique of Sgraffito, where an under paint can be revealed by scrapping off a top coat of paint. I have flipped the colour from red under with white on top to white under with red on top. This gives a subtle variation in the tile patterns.

Encaustic is a melted wax medium. Dry pigment is mixed in to melted beeswax. After applying the wax paint there is a final process of warming the painted wax to ensure the wax adheres to the surface of the painting. I love the varied textures that can be achieved with this ancient medium (Greco Roman period, around C1 to 3rd. in Egypt) Compared to modern paints it is quite a time consuming performance, so I don’t make as many as I would like.

All my paintings are available as a limited edition Giclee print, LP Contact or at www.madeinross.co.uk