Using the ancient technique of encaustic, a Greek word meaning “to burn in” Abaté creates images sometimes with as many as 30 layers of beeswax, tree sap and pigment. With the heat from a propane torch she allows shapes to arise organically within specific fields of color. As the wax and pigments merge to form a single entity there is a visible push and pull of energy allowing the life-force of the materials to enter the painting.
As abstract as her paintings are, there is no doubt that her images arise from her reverence of the natural world and her desire to create a bridge between abstract and landscape work. Raised under the vast open sky and ever-changing tapestry of wheat fields in Eastern Washington, she responds to the dynamic of the horizon line separating yet pairing fields of color. The layers in her paintings range from atmospheric to subterranean inviting the viewer to examine shifts of light, depth and luminosity in the balance of nature.
With fluid, melted beeswax she produces a tangible record of her experiences as an explorer and student of her surroundings. Her journeys abroad and fascination with the fluidity of the sea and the colors of a desert or mountain landscape are evident in her current body of work.
Abaté presently concentrates on encaustic painting, but has also worked in mixed media, oils and clay. She works full time as an artist in her home studio in the mountains of Eastern Washington and also Scottsdale, AZ. She is represented by several galleries. She exhibits her work in group and solo shows. Her art is held in private collections both national and international, and her work has been published in books and magazines.
Viewers are drawn to her work for their rich textures and colors and for the deeply felt layers of experience that are apparent in the inward workings of the images she creates. There is a studied awe imbued in her work that she seeks to share with her viewers as she continues to find inspiration in the natural world.
The job of the artist is always
to deepen the mystery.
-Francis Bacon