published article in NAWA magazine
thenawa.org/shout-outs-april-2025/#warren
M. KATHLEEN WARREN
After decades of photographing, the camera became my way to see the world. I began in the black and white darkroom with its smells and fumes and controls, yet for me handling the paper while the image emerged was always magical. Even as I embraced digital photography with its new creative possibilities, I longed for the tactile experience of analog image-making. I sought techniques that would allow me to engage with my work on a deeper level.
Touch the Wind, photograph with hand-coloring film
My journey into photoencaustic art began unexpectedly when I visited a gallery that showcased an encaustic artist who incorporates photographic images into her encaustic pieces. That’s when I knew—I had to try it for myself! The tactile quality of the wax immediately drew me in, offering the physical connection to my art that I had been seeking. Most of my life I have experienced my world through the lens of a camera, so I wanted to continue with my photographic vision while adding the depth and tactile nature of the encaustic wax. Along the way, I realized that encaustic wax is a living medium—unpredictable yet full of possibilities. I played with that delicate balance of photographic image, substrate, heat, wax, and pigment in many forms. As I learned more about using encaustic wax, I discovered the challenges of the medium and at the same time I became fascinated with the endless possibilities. For me as an artist, I truly found my voice in this blend of photography and encaustic wax, a voice that feels tactile, intimate, and alive.
R, photo-encaustic with her-story and his-story layers
As I explored more encaustic wax techniques and how to combine these with my photographs, I came to realize how much my upbringing influences my art. I grew up in a time and place where stories permeated our lives. Many of these stories were unspoken and unnoticed, yet they became a foundation for my artistic expression. The layers and textures of encaustic wax gave me a new way to portray the depth and richness of our human narrative. Just as the many layers of life in my small town shaped me, working with wax invites me to express the layers of our lives, both visible and invisible. As I expanded my techniques to include layered images and more textures, I found a path to expand these stories beyond a single fleeting moment. Our lives contain valleys and mountains, so to me each layer and brushstroke speaks of these contrasts—both low and high, rough and smooth, both pain and joy. In my work, I see the visual tension between “photograph” and “not-photograph” as a mirror of the contrasts and tensions within each of our souls.
Whispers, photo-encaustic with story of renewal
Often, I work in series so I can expand my theme across time and space. I’m drawn to narratives that center around people, especially women, and the things they cherish. Movement catches my eye, and portraying this fluidity has become one of my overlying themes. My lifelong passion for dressage, ballet on horseback, has led me to appreciate human dancers. For decades, I experienced firsthand the same elements I find in the dance—gesture, movement, passion. The graceful motions and the fleeting moments come together to create a story, a chapter in an unspoken narrative. In my studio, I’m inspired to re-create this sense of movement and elegance. In my dancer-muses, I see the human body creating art, the human spirit merging with artistic expression, and the human soul speaking to me. Through my blend of photography and encaustic art, I seek to continue this conversation between spirit and art. We are all invited to explore the emotion, story, and passion that shape us!
Flames, photo-encaustic with dancer motion emphasis
Reverie, photo-encaustic with dancer both paused and reaching out