The Waggle Dance

The Waggle Dance is the symbolic language honeybees use to communicate vital information. The bees use a dance to let other bees know the distance and direction of the food source from the hive. I have used the Waggle Dance as a metaphor, through encaustic paintings. To me these paintings represent how we maintain our sense of community through dialogue in mountain communities around topics such as the quality of water, wildlife sightings...etc. Creating conversation on vital issues connect us and ground us to a sense of place and community. An integrated communication system, the Waggle Dance is deemed one of the seven wonders of the animal behaviour world. Consequently, the paintings I have created represent dialogue, the diptych - human connection and the honeycomb panel shows the Waggle Dance formation. Sharing this exchange, suggested through flow and preservation of the medium itself, is my attempt at the human version of the waggle dance.  

 

Encaustic medium consists of molten beeswax, damar resin, and pigments that are fused after application into a continuous layer and fixed to a support (primarily wood) with heat. This achieves a lustrous enamel appearance.  The word ‘encaustic’ comes from the Greek “enkausticos” and means to burn in, which refers to the process of fusing the paint. Encaustic is a very durable medium and an excellent investment. This is due to the fact that beeswax is impervious to moisture. Because of this it will not deteriorate, it will not yellow, and it will not darken. Encaustic paintings do not have to be varnished or protected by glass.                                              Funding generously provided by the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance and the Columbia Basin Trust.