I am still learning all the things encaustic can do, but I had a dilemma, which was that after all the work I had put into creating a couple dozen various size cradle boards I was now thoroughly intimidated by them and reluctant to practice and experiment on these beautiful framed boards... until I found a box of wood shims at a warehouse sale for $5.  This was the beginning of my Learning Curve Series comprised of 6" x 3" wood shim grounds.  Because of the small area of the shim ground, I am able to experiment with all kinds of mediums and methods with the encaustic, while using a minimal amount of wax medium, and also allowing me to develop the creative expression that best suits my vision.   This has also allowed me to develop more confidence with the encaustic and its process, which will enable me to get to those cradle boards much sooner.

“The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.” --Geoffrey Chaucer