DownEast from Boston to Nova Scotia Encaustic 30x40 $3500
For over three decades, Kathy Ostrander Roberts has explored nearly every artistic medium. Through all her experimentation, one practice continues to capture her imagination and energy more than any other: encaustic. “Over the last thirty years, I’ve tried just about every medium there is. Encaustic is by far the most freeing,” she shares.
Roberts’ work is rooted in the ancient art of painting with wax and resin, yet her approach feels fresh, modern, and alive. “Encaustic is not a new art form. In fact, it has been around since the fifth century. What’s new is how people have found hundreds of ways to manipulate the wax and resin to create their pieces.” She delights in pushing the medium’s boundaries, experimenting with movement, depth, and unexpected textures that make each piece one of a kind.
Weathered Wood Encaustic 16x20 $1600
Maine Waters Call To ME Encaustic 22x33 $2750
That uniqueness is part of the challenge and joy. “Sometimes clients will ask me to replicate a piece, and sadly, it just can’t be done. The movement of the wax controls the piece, and no two works are the same.” The fluid nature of molten wax ensures that every painting evolves in its own direction, guided as much by heat and chance as by the artist’s hand.
Her creative process may seem unconventional to some, but Roberts has fully embraced it. “If someone had told me twenty years ago that I’d be making art using a blow torch, I would’ve laughed and thought they were out of their mind, but here I am, and I love it.” The technique allows her to bring both spontaneity and structure into her work, balancing control with the surprises that wax naturally offer.
Ocean Sonnet 16x20 $1600
Follow the Trade Winds Home Encaustic 48x36 $4800
“There is no singular way to create encaustic works. Some people use it structurally, some people iron it, some people embed photographs in it. It’s very versatile.” Roberts’ interpretation highlights the coastal beauty of Maine while leaning into the freedom encaustic provides, giving each piece a dynamic and luminous quality.
Her paintings now live in homes and collections far beyond Maine. “I’ve never kept a record of how many pieces I’ve sold or been given a list of who they were sold to, but I always think it would be amazingly fun to walk into someone’s home or business in another city or country one day and see one of my works on their walls. I’m very grateful for their patronage.”
With Vacationland at Maine Art Hill, Roberts invites viewers into a world where history, innovation, and nature converge. Each painting is more than wax and resin. It is an exploration of movement, a celebration of Maine’s spirit, and a testament to the freedom of an artist fully at home in her craft.
The show Vacationland is on view from August 30 through September 17 at Maine Art Hill, located at 5 Chase Hill Rd in Kennebunk, Maine. The gallery is open daily at 10 AM. For more information, visit maine-art.com, email info@maine-art.com, or call 207-967-2803.