SALVAGED METAL

THE FOUND IN FORT POINT SERIES

Fort Point and the Boston waterfront in general, where I have lived for the past 26 years, have long been a treasure trove of found objects – metal parts of unknown vintage and use, rolls of wire, chain saws, box springs, and a multitude of other pieces. 

Now that Fort Point is changing so quickly, these objects have become both more difficult to find and an emblem of the area’s industrial and manufacturing past.

I have collected these objects over the years and am now using some of them in an encaustic series celebrating Fort Point’s past.

I create an image of the metal by rusting it on fabric or paper. Then, using beeswax that is the basic medium of encaustic painting, I embed the metal into the painting to create a sense of the piece before and after it was found.