This week, for the thirteenth episode in Propeller’s PODCAST series: BEYOND THE FRAME, we hear from Propeller Member Ruth Maude.
BEYOND THE FRAME features one-on-one inspiring interviews with Propeller artists, taking you inside the artists’ process; allowing the listener to hear first hand, the intimate stories behind the art!
Episode #13 Ruth Maude
Ruth writes:
I love the natural beauty of beeswax. I’m drawn to the way encaustic painting engages my senses—the way that it looks, smells, and feels.
Encaustic painting is done in layers. It is a process of building up and scraping away to reveal what lies beneath the surface. Each layer of encaustic medium is fused using heat. Working with different fusing tools such as a blow torch, a heat gun, and an iron, I can either maintain or eliminate texture depending on which tool I use. Encaustic can be smooth as glass or highly textured and sculptural.
As much as I’ve learned to control the medium, encaustic often does its own unexpected, wonderful things that I get to take credit for. It’s so great to say, “oh wow look what just happened” and “how can I make that happen again?!”
Ruth Maude

Many thanks to the following:
BEYOND THE FRAME is a result of an initiative by artist, Tracy Thomson, who joined our collective in 2021. Professionally recorded at The Orange Lounge, and hosted by member, Doris Purchase, this new podcast series is a wonderful example of Propeller’s motto, “Artists Empowering Artists”!
The BEYOND THE FRAME team includes:

- Producer: Tracy Thomson
- Host: Doris Purchase
- Graphics & Animation: Phil Nguyen with artwork by Doris Purchase
- Audio Engineer: Spencer Sunshine
- SFX: Vlad Nikolic
- Recording Studio: The Orange Lounge, Toronto
- With support from Par Nair and Lisa Johnson
Enjoy and please leave a comment below to let us know what you think!
Ruth, I really enjoyed hearing you talk about your processes and inspirations – it gave me a new dimension of connection with your beautiful work.
Thanks so much, Susan. This podcast is a terrific initiative during this time of lockdown, I enjoy listening each week to a new episode. It’s a good way to get to know other members and feel connected.