Michele Messenger is a Denver-based encaustic painter. The ancient form of painting with a mix of beeswax and tree resin has been enjoying a happy renaissance in the last decade or so ­— perfectly timed with Michele’s discovery of it. She was drawn to another artist’s booth at an art fair and promptly took the next encaustic workshop she found. Michele says her favorite part of creating encaustic paintings is to show off the transparency of wax when layered over mono and screen prints. On the opposite end of the spectrum is heavily-pigmented wax that has a unique and luscious aspect to it. Nearly all of her work features texture and mark making that is highlighted with an oil paint wash. Additionally Michele tries to source beeswax from people she knows. Michele’s people are from Illinois. The family moved to Indiana at the end of her grade school years and she moved to Colorado in her early 20s. She is a freelance graphic designer in addition to her encaustic artistry.