Meet Shima-Shanti an encaustic painter who works in the ancient art form of painting with beeswax and fusing it with fire. This article will give a first look into her newest series which will be exhibited at Art Palm Beach Show from January 22-26, 2025.
What is your newest series, exhibition?
I exhibit at some of the most celebrated contemporary fine art fairs in the United States including New York, Palm Beach Florida, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Seattle. These year-round exhibitions require a new and evolving curation of artworks for each show. While I never quite know what will evolve in my artmaking, the connection to spirit in the process creates a unique, yet always cohesive body of work similar in palette, design, and composition. I am working now on Art Palm Beach opening January 22, 2025, in tandem with a solo exhibition at The Haven Gallery also in Palm Beach, Florida.
What was or is the inspiration or concept behind this new series or exhibition?
For the Art palm Beach Show, January 22-26, 2025 I am inspired to diverge from the stereotypical impression of vibrant color and ocean landscape one commonly thinks of Southern Florida. I will be challenged by my unfamiliarity of the South Florida Atlantic Ocean for this body of work. I am deeply influenced by where I live along the West Coast of California Pacific Ocean. Distinctly different. I find in my travels throughout the US that viewers are drawn to what is impressionistically familiar to them. I am relying and trusting that the underlying impression of water in water in motion in my paintings will connect us; that there will be enough abstraction to engage a sense of serenity without representation. I will paint with a limited palette of neutral whites and tans, combined with muted blush tones and greys in contrast to the sea greens, blues, oranges, and teals traditionally associated with the region. This juxtaposition of muted, neutral color and impression of water will give cause for the viewer to linger and engage. My use of the encaustic medium — beeswax fused with fire — is the star of the show. There are 50+ layers of purified beeswax mixed with all-natural earth pigments in each painting. Each layer is fused with a low-flame torch. The earth-tone palette and multi-layers of translucent wax create a luminous patina and storied texture that is deep and three-dimensional. All of my work is painted on 36″x36″ Russian Baltic birch panels. The symmetric size along with a harmonic palette curates into a simple, understated story.
What’s the message behind your new series or exhibition?
There are many artworks that will catch your eye. Some artworks may touch deeply. Only a few will speak to you. Listen to those. My message: I hold my breath that is is not just a pretty picture; that it has more to say than that. Buried deep in the layers of my painting a message is revealed. I patiently wait for it to be reflected in the eye of the beholder. Take a moment. A sideways look. A sidelong glance. Stare up. Look down. Gaze straight ahead. Change your field of vision and awaken to a new perspective. Take something you know, something you are totally familiar with and look at it upside down and sideways. See how your viewpoint is altered. Step back and see in new ways. This is the gift. The gift of my art.
What’s your personal highlight of the series or latest exhibition?
There are some paintings in this collection that cannot be ignored. They scream and shout and laugh and dance. Their love and light cannot be restrained. They burst with jeu d’esprit.
If you encountered any challenges during the creation of this series or holding your latest exhibition, how did you manage to tackle and overcome them?
I found it challenging when I first started to paint this collection as I was attempting to create from the point of view of a South Florida attendee in a region I am totally unfamiliar and far-removed. I was influenced by my misguided stereotypical impressions of loud color, a cacophony of sound against a background of the flat expanse of an endless, waveless ocean. How could I reconcile my muted palette and zen minimalism for a successful show? Diving into the unknown required discipline. It was easy for the strength of perceptions to take over; easy to forget to allow Spirit to guide me. When I stopped thinking and returned to my essence as an intuitive artist and stepped into the uncertainty of trying something new, it was mystical. I paint impressions of Nature and Nature in all its many forms spans the spectrum. This expansive view allowed me to be true to my aesthetic and resolve the conflict of trying to appeal to an audience. Working with color in encaustic has special challenges. The beauty of Encaustic is the transparency and depth in the many layers of wax. If the pigment is opaque, it will block the luminous wax layers beneath from shining through. I can thin the pigment with clear wax which makes it less dense. but that will never remove its inherent quality of opacity. Once I allowed the pigment to be what it is and allow the art to speak for itself beautiful art began to emerge and I have a beautiful collection ready to showcase.
How would you recommend a visitor to experience your creation?
See all my available artworks on my website: shimashanti.com and, Join my newsletter on my website and receive complimentary VIP tickets for you, your family and friends to the contemporary fine art fairs in Hamptons, New York, Palm Beach, Florida, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Arizona, San Francisco and Seattle.
Conclusion
Practicing the technique of encaustic painting, Shima-Shanti creates a powerful blend of nature, simplicity, and artistry. Using layers of beeswax fused with flame, she creates luminous, textured pieces that invite viewers into a peaceful, introspective space. Her upcoming exhibitions, including Art Palm Beach and a solo show at The Haven Gallery, offer the perfect opportunity to experience her unique vision firsthand. Each piece in her collection reflects her reverence for natural materials and her commitment to authenticity, making her art not only visually captivating but also deeply meaningful.
About The Author
