Bridgette works largely with encaustic, milk paint, pencil, oil and watercolor. She draws her inspiration from drifting clouds, mountains, trees, the atmosphere, and inclement weather. Her trusty phone is always in use to take pictures and Instagram is quite handy to compose potential paintings on the fly. Encaustic acts the part of the atmosphere, creating depth, space and even time in which to create her ethereal landscapes. She works from both memory and her own photographs and use encaustic as a way to capture and preserve those moments. And just like her memory, the re-creation is not picture perfect - it is hazy, saturated, and highlighted in the way that she can best recall. “Art is equal parts adventure, experiment, release and retrospection. Every day is an adventure to find new worlds and experience new sensations. Each painting is a series of experiments to get closer and closer to capturing a memory, a sensation or a thrilling moment. A day in the studio is time well spent and a release for my mind, body and my soul. Moments are measured in brush strokes and memories are relived through expression. My art is an expression of my time spent outdoors, enjoying the landscape, playing in the mountains and my connection to nature.” -Bridgette Bridgette Meinhold is based in Park City, Utah, where she lives in a small A-frame cabin in an aspen grove with her husband and dog. From her front porch she has access to backcountry skiing, biking, hiking and a whole world of inspiration. Before pursuing art professionally, Bridgette earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University and a MS in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. She has worked as a consultant helping companies work towards greater sustainability in their business practices as well as the expansion of wind energy. What is Encaustic?Encaustic is an ancient medium that combines melted wax with resin that can be applied to surfaces with a brush. Bridgette uses milk paint and pigments in between layers of wax to create her 3 dimensional landscapes. Each layer is applied, scraped to her desired thickness, leveled and smoothed with a blow torch and painted on before adding another layer. Each of her paintings usually has 3-5 layers of wax and paint. The wax Bridgette uses is high quality archival wax and there is no worry of melting them in normal household conditions. Like all fine art, the face of each piece should be protected. It is wax, so it can melt, but that's not a worry unless exposed to temperatures above 150 degrees. Its not advisable to hang near a window that will give the painting direct hot sun. Conversely, encaustic is also sensitive to freezing cold temperatures, which can cause it to crack. When shipping in winter, insulate well and try to not ship during a deep cold snap. If your encaustic painting appears to get hazy on the surface over time, simply rub the surface gently with a soft cloth. It can continue to cure and harden for a few years and eventually will retain its glossy surface. Select ExhibitionsWax & Wool, Bozeman, MT, 2019Guest Artist Sundance, Sundance Resort, Sundance, UT, 2017Summit Series, Artist In Residence, Powder Mountain, UT, 2015Art In Was Exhibition, Santa Fe, NM, 2014Message in a Bottle, SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL, 2013Plein Air Paradise Festival, Plein Air Artist in Wasatch, Midway Heritage Association, Midway, UT, 2012 Selected Publications"Painting with Purpose: Bridgette Meinhold and the Art of Preservation," Big Life Magazine, March 2017"Bridgette Meinhold," Big Life Magazine, Arts & Culture, Fall 2015 Learn more about Bridgette and Encaustic painting...