Reviews for Contemporary Encaustic Wax Workshop

It was my first attempt at Photo Encaustic Art at the one day workshop, with the tuition of Lyn Kirkland, our talented and wonderful teacher, who made the day so relaxed and enjoyable.
It was such a unique process. I loved the idea of adding a photo and layering with wax. I loved the textures, coloured pigments and most of all the playfulness of adding your own signature to the end result. I chose a photo of my beloved elderly pet dog. My photo is now so much more interesting and feels more personal to me. My own unique piece of work. Thank you and shall be back to have some more fun!

Dear Lyn
It was so lovely meeting you and I absolutely loved the course. I am still on a high and my family could not believe the quality of my art work.

You truly are an inspirational teacher and loved your laid back, calming nature, as you made learning a joy. I loved the way you made me feel I could accomplish the tasks, as you gave me confidence in myself, so thank you so much.
You also made the most delicious sugar free fruit cake. Yummy!

Thank you for a Fabulous, Fun, two days and will look at dates tomorrow for the next course.

I would thoroughly recommend this one day workshop with Lyn! She made me feel very welcome and it was really fascinating to learn more about this ancient art form. The course comes with an extensive list on how to set up your own encaustic studio and lots of tips from Lyn in how to manage the materials. Lyn is clearly very experienced and skilled! She broke down the process into manageable steps, but also gave me enough space to play around with the techniques independently. Her studio is bright and full of inspiration: be it from the many objects/ textures Lyn's collected, her own beautiful art work or the coastal location. I only came to learn about the process, but I was pleasantly surprised to make a painting that I would be happy to hang on the wall! Thanks so much Lyn!

I have a background in geology, the marine environment and am now a potter. I dabble in acrylic paint and mixed media but I have always been intrigued by the concept of encaustic wax. So when I saw Lyn's work and course details I knew I had to treat myself to one of her whole day courses - and what an excellent experience it has been.
Lyn's communication throughout the process has been excellent and her introduction to a subject that could possibly be quite daunting was undertaken in a thorough, unambiguous and yet exciting manner as to options and variations available in the subject matter.
We worked on preparation of the surfaces, what surfaces result in different effects, alternatives to the normal materials and the suppliers of those materials. We discussed what techniques may lend itself to the influences for the designs. I am very abstract in my approach (can't draw - won't draw) and this technique suits those "real life artistically challenged" amongst us perfectly.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the range of effects that are possible with just small variations in materials and through quite a limited palette one could produce a vast array of finishes - including pigmented wax but also found objects, textured paper, images, scratching away at surfaces and different brush techniques. Saying that, Lyn literally has a workshop full of materials - if you can't find what you need, it probably isn't worth trying!

It was a really enjoyable day run by a true professional with a passion for her subject matter; it really comes across and her eagerness to get the best results for you.
And of course onto the most important thing - the carrot cake - best ever!!

I thoroughly recommend you do this course and stay on the Isle of Portland and explore this intriguing landscape which will inspire you in your creativity! It's given me a lot of food for thought as to how I could move my existing practices onwards.
Thanks Lyn!

"I have just spent a wonderful morning with Lyn in her studio on Portland. Lyn's studio is in a great location and the welcome she gave was so warm and motivating.There was an impressive and unlimited collection of pigments and materials at my disposal. Added to which, Lyn's enthusiasm for encaustic art and her willingness to share her skills, made for a really worthwhile experience. Lyn was intuitive about when I needed her at my side to demonstrate and make suggestions, and when I needed to test out the waxes on my own. Now I have tried encaustic art for the first time, I shall definitely return for another session. Highly recommended!"

While visiting the UK from New Zealand in June, I enjoyed a two day
encaustic workshop with Lyn and it was amazing. Lyn was fabulous at sharing
her knowledge and techniques to create an encaustic artwork.  I am a
mixed media artist, but had not worked with encaustic wax before. I am now a
convert and can not wait to return to my studio and further develop these
skills. Lyn made the experience so much fun and we had a lot of laughs along
the way. I love her work and she was very happy to teach me many of the
techniques she uses. Thanks so much Lyn, for a very special two days in your
studio.

My daughter and I have recently spent a most enjoyable day with Lyn Kirkland at her Portland workshop learning the technique of inserting photographs, which we supplied, into wax which resulted in fantastic 3d images. Lyn copied our pictures onto special ‘paper’, provided us with three different sized wooden boards and all the wax.
Lyn, a lovely, incredibly talented lady, is patient, kind and fun to be with, and as a bonus coffee or tea were served all day. She also makes the most delicious cakes which she shared with us. If you haven’t already tried encaustic work I can thoroughly recommend that you have a go.

As a photographer, I wanted to learn more about embedding my images in wax and exploring ways to create texture. Lyn planned her day course with me meticulously - she was in touch prior to find out exactly what I wanted to learn and made some very helpful suggestions to maximise our time together. On arrival, she had prepared various birch panels for our experimentations and also printed my images on to a variety of papers so I could see what difference that would make in the final piece. We managed to complete four pieces, but it never felt rushed or overwhelming. In fact, Lyn made sure I had all the information as printouts and she spoilt with lunchtime nibbles, which was a lovely bonus! I look forward to future courses with Lyn - she’s a wonderful teacher with a warm, generous personality. Highly recommended.

I wanted inspiration and insight into this art/craft and a day with Lyn Kirkland gives you exactly that. Open to sharing her knowledge and skills freely, I had a fabulous day learning the techniques associated with this art form under Lyn's patient and inspirational guidance. You will not be disappointed by choosing this intriguing course. Go away with your created project, inspired to explore this craft further and a list of items to set you on your path. Free tea and coffee and scrumptious homemade cake together with Lyn's friendly, warm personality and charm will leave you hungry for more and a yearning to return again. Thank you Lyn. It was a great day!!

I have had the most amazing day with Lyn, she has so much knowledge she kindly shares with you and great teaching skills. It is one of the most exciting mediums I have ever used, having the unexpected wow factor. Lyn's passion truly shines through and it becomes contagious. I love lyn's sense of humour, truly had a good old chuckle with her. I think every one should have a go and don't not be scared as Lyn puts you at ease.
I shall proudly put my piece of encaustic work on my wall as a memory of our day, unlocking myself. Also the foraging cake was lush. A huge thank to you Lyn. Good luck for tonight and tomorrow. Jackie x

Lyn is a very generous with her knowledge on ALL things encaustic.
Having spent the day working with her in her lovely little studio finding
out about different ways you can use wax as a medium. I am now full of
ideas I can;t wait to try out for myself. She is very patience
and caters for your artistic vision whilst gently encouraging you explore
the medium through her demonstrations.

Even though I have used encaustic before it was good to get sound advice on
technique and products to use in encaustic to improve upon my own work and
give me the confidence to further pursue encaustic painting for myself.

I highly recommend Lyn’s workshops to all levels from beginners to
well establish artists, there is something for everyone. She also makes nice
tea and cakes!

While away on a holiday in the Pacific Northwest I stumbled across Encaustic Art and once I returned to Jersey I started searching for a workshop to help me get started. After combing the internet I found Lyn Kirkland who was available for a private two day workshop in Portland, Dorset.

Once I made my way there, I had a wonderful time with Lyn learning so many techniques I would have been guessing at if I didn’t have this “hands on” experience. There is so much to know about encaustic painting and Lyn is inspirational and generous with her knowledge and her art supplies.

In the end, I came home with two pieces I will treasure forever. Thank you so much for your patience and guiding me through a multitude of steps with your relaxed expertise. And, for putting me in touch with Pam DuVal so I could stay in her cosy Little Bee Cottage. Honestly, between the homemade cakes and and warm comraderie, I would love to come back and spend more time learning this way of artistic expression. I would highly recommend this course to anyone. Barbara Chomos - St. Brelade, Jersey