DANIS McDERMOTT creates intricate and graceful paintings inspired by nature’s fleeting changes. The artist begins with preliminary graphite drawings of pussy willows, sage brush, or a downy feather. She then overlays a delicate encaustic layer on the surface building a sublime and translucent shield that preserves, even freezes, the image of nature for eternity. The use of encaustic, traditionally a technique involving layers of pigment suspended in beeswax originating from ancient Egypt, is considered one of the longest-lasting painting techniques known to mankind. The use of this process in painting only reiterates the intent, and hope, of preserving the fragile nature of nature.