ARTBOX.PROJECT New York 1.0 Claudia Erbelding

Early in my career, I focused on science, studying biology, concluding my scientific career with a postdoctoral position. To realize our dream of a self-sufficient lifestyle, my husband and I purchased a 19th-century farmhouse in Bavaria. We taught ourselves the necessary skills and labored for more than 30 years to complete the extensive renovation. We learned about raising vegetables and children. In addition, I worked in a variety of positions including content manager and web designer. The topics in my artwork are focused on humans and nature. Being surrounded by the natural and spiritual beauty of the Bavarian countryside and European landscapes has been a source of inspiration for my art. When I find a natural place that captures my imagination, I snap a photo. Back at home, I use Photoshop to create a collage with the landscape as a background and add, inspirited by feelings evoked by the landscape a figure and other objects I consider important for this painting. Finally, I transfer the photo to a painting, allowing my subconscious to enhance the scene in a way that Photoshop cannot. Encaustic painting is these days the technique I use most. It was known to the ancient world. The Greeks and Romans painted with the mixture of bee’s wax, dammar (tree resin) and pigments. In the layer of wax, pigment is illuminated from all sides and can reflect colors in a way no other technique can. The paintings become vibrant and lively.