Larain Matheson
Encaustic and oil, mixed media, & gemstone jewelry.
Encaustic is an ancient medium. I compose my paintings from the natural architecture of the sea and land, using beeswax and oil paint. I fuse many layers of paint using high heat, which creates beautiful, transparent compositions, both impressionistic and abstract.
Directions to Studio #28 at 34101 Highway 1, Gualala
From south of Gualala: Anchor Bay is 3.5 miles north of Gualala. From Anchor Bay, drive 1.3 miles north. At mile marker 5.79, turn east, then into driveway just past Ohlson Lane. Follow tour signs.
From north of Anchor Bay, drive to mile marker 5.79. Turn left into driveway BEFORE Ohlson Lane. Follow tour signs.
Studio Tour Hours
August 29-30 & Sept. 5-7
11 am to 5 pm
My studio is also open all year by appointment.
Of all the many mediums I have worked in for the past 40 years, encaustic wax and oil has captured my heart. I’ve been exploring encaustic painting for the past 14 years, using beeswax and oils. My inspiration comes from the beauty of where I live on the coast. I emphasize the elements of fire, water, air and earth in my work.
Encaustic is a 2000 year old medium dating back to the Egyptians and the Greeks. My tools are pure beeswax, oil paints and pigments, and a torch, where I melt wax and oils together at a high degree of heat. I use brushes and scraping tools and can embed papers and collage into the wax. This is a labor intensive process and the results are 5-12 layers of wax creating beautiful transparencies of color. The finished work is permanent.
I received an M.F.A. from U.C.L.A. where I was fortunate to work with artist Richard Diebenkorn. I carry his influence in my work regarding the architecture of the landscape in California, and coastal lands. I love abstracting from nature, and my work depicts impressionism as well as abstracts. The freedom to explore with layers of color is exciting and makes the unseen more visible.
My work has been exhibited throughout northern California, from Mill Valley and Marin to Berkeley galleries, and Santa Fe, N.M. as a member of the Encaustic Art Institute. It is in many collections throughout the U.S , Mexico, and Canada.