Pat Spear

Raccoon Bite in the Web of Life
encaustic mixed media; paper left overnight soaking in rainwater, and a raccoon played with it, tearing it, biting a hole
8 x 8 in.

I love nature and I draw my inspiration from its tracks in time—wet leafprints on a sidewalk, metal rusted by the elements, and animal tracks on my paper. My approach is energetic; rather than superimposing myself or trying to control the process, I connect with the spirit of nature and follow with my instincts. My process is organic, and is as important as the product. I soak my paper in rainwater, and use watercolor with lots of well water, seashells, plants, paper, stones, and found objects in layers; and let each piece dry naturally under the sun and moon. Lately I’ve been using the alchemy of encaustics to add richness, depth and texture.