Encaustic Sculpture

Title: Encaustic Sculpture

Location: The Curlew Room, Asilomar Retreat and Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove Date/Time: February 14 - 15, 2026

Class Size: 7

Tuition: $545 / $50 discount for NorCal Wax members if registered by February 11!

Level: All

The Versatility of Encaustic

After painting realistically for 30 years and doing sculpture for ten years, I began working with encaustic. Like many others working with this medium, I was attracted to its translucency, luscious sheen and tactility. But I probably most appreciate the versatility of the medium, as one can use painting, collage, printmaking and sculptural techniques with it.

Three-dimensional encaustic sculptures can be formed using encaustic medium with wire, wire mesh, bamboo, plaster gauze, paper, natural fibers and more.

Helen’s unconventional ways of mixing mediums and her ingenious combining of high and low tech solutions result in demos that get you thinking outside of the box as you discover new ways to express your ideas.

This course is for you if you:

• Have an interest in encaustic sculpture and want to learn how to work with a relatively new material

• Want to start moving off the panel with your work and create 3D forms

• Want to add dimensional elements to your work OR try moving off the panel to do free standing sculpture

• Are an adventurous beginner, skilled artist, or anywhere in between

• Want to expand your creativity while honing your critical thinking skills

Helen has a knack for guiding you in amplifying your ideas. Her method of teaching involves showing the potential of what you can do with the various materials and then letting you loose to see what is possible.  As an instructor, Helen draws upon her formal art training to add richness and depth to the classroom experience, incorporating fundamentals of composition, color, and form.

What's included?

• Two full days of instruction and studio time 

• Live demos

• Prompts and exercises tailored to students’ needs

• PowerPoint presentations and discussions explore artists working 3-dimensionally for inspiration

Don't miss this opportunity to expand your practice.  Helen is a dynamic instructor who supports you in realizing your vision.

Q: Do I need encaustic experience?

No, this is a class for artists new to encaustic sculpture. And for those with some experience, you will learn additional techniques to expand your practice.

Q: I work in mixed-media. Will my imagery translate?

Yes! Anyone working two-dimensionally can benefit from this course. We will discuss various surface treatments, so if you are already used to working with multiple materials, all the better!

Q: I have more questions. How do I reach you?

You can email Helen at helen.dannelly@gmail.com

Supply List

• Activa Activ-Wire Mesh Sculptural and Modeling Wire Mesh | 2 pkgs of 12” x 24” (small or large weave) OR one roll of 12” X 10’ | You could also use chicken wire or window screen. Chicken wire has a larger open weave, so you're not going to get as fine and precise details, but you can achieve a cool honeycomb texture. Window screen is much softer and more pliable which could work for a more fluid form.

• 3-4 rolls of Plaster Bandages  (Excellent quality, highly recommend) | or (less high quality but does the trick): Activa Rigid-Wrap Plaster Cloth - Roll, 4 x 5 Yards or Blick Plaster Cloth, 2 -3 packages.2 buckets or large plastic containers large enough to wash both hands in - both to be designated for art materials as you will get plaster remnants in them.ORDER LINK

• Paper towels

• Wire cutters

• Work gloves (to keep the skin on your hands and fingers from getting snagged on the wire mesh - Ouch!)

• Pliers

• Needle nose pliers (optional)

• Picture hanging wire (lightweight preferred, but any wire will do to sew and secure wire mesh). Single gauge (not braided) wire works well.

• Armature wire – 14 gauge, 32 feet

• Scissors

• Sewing needle and thread 

• Joint compound, DryDex spackling or wood putty

• One small cradled panel or piece of birch plywood (approximately 6” x 6”, 8” x 8” or 8” x 10”)

For Encaustic Surface Treatment:

• Heat gun

• Encaustic medium and paint

• Raw umber oil paint or oil stick

• Corn oil or walnut oil (or R&F Blending stick or blending medium)

• Scraping tool

If Utilizing Oil and Cold Wax for Surface Treatment:

• Cold wax medium

• Oil paint (your choice of colors)

• Palette knife

• Bowl scraper

• Graphite powder (optional)