About the artist

Mary Ellen Chapman is a Canadian Encaustic Artist who is best known for her inventive techniques with microcrystalline wax and raw pigments.

In her studio, Mellen works on numerous paintings at once, largely from her own landscape photographs. What strikes viewers the most is her vibrant hues and three-dimensional build-up of layers. First reactions usually include, "Can I touch it?". Although her style is often representational, there are loose and abstract shapes where Mellen will splash her glazes in a spirited way!

"Nature calls me! It soothes my soul! As a child I played in sand and water and fields of green and did family hikes in the Bruce Peninsula Escarpment. Water is the perfect subject for the smooth areas of melted sheen and the sand, bark and foliage provide much experimentation for peeling, scraping and carving the wax. Encaustics never stop compelling and challenging me".

Mary Ellen graduated from the University of Toronto with her Specialist in Painting, and she taught Visual Arts to Secondary School students for 30 years. Mellen lives with her husband Jeff and has two adult children. Her art is in private collections across Canada including Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia.