Paddle and Portage – Josy Britton

“The impetus for this show, Paddle and Portage, was my canoe. While paddling, observing the dance of light and shadow on the water lilies, I was struck by their waxy appearance and decided to paint them in wax, encaustics. I enjoy the mixture of complete control and movement when the colours are fused together. A final layer of uncoloured wax helps create the feeling of water.

HOMAGE TO MONET, 23.50 x 47.38 in., encaustic on panel

I am a passionate canoe tripper, enjoying the adventure of pitching a tent on a new lake each day. This involves portaging around rapids and waterfalls. Carrying a canoe overhead restricts the view to just beyond one’s feet. When I finally lay the canoe down at the water’s edge I am free to look up and am immediately humbled by the beauty of an old growth tree. This lead to a series, Look Way Up, and my search for giant trees. Painting trees with wax allow me to emphasize the texture of the bark in relief.

EUREKA, 60 x 48 in., encaustic on panel

Feeling a part of nature, witnessing its complex interdependence, simultaneously fragile and robust, I am called to my studio to paint ‘Heaven on Earth’. My hope is that my paintings change the way you see a forest, a river, perhaps glimpsing the innate harmony possible in the world.”

-Josy Britton, 2023