Norah Levine

Lives and works in Austin, TX, USA

Artist statement

I am a mixed media visual artist based in Austin Texas, creating primarily through the mediums of encaustic and photography. I approach my work from a place of curiosity and wonder and am strongly influenced by the beauty of nature, animals and my daily meditation practice. I have vivid memories of spending time in nature as a little girl observing animals and other natural elements. Now that I am a mother, I find vast inspiration from the way my daughter sees the world and her ability to be fully present in each moment. Her presence has caused me to slow down and reconnect with that time I spent in nature as a little girl. This shift in perspective invites me to look deeply into what or who is in front of me and create art in response. My work honors the creatures within each piece through a distinctive process. I dedicate time and space to each animal, to each element of nature in its uniqueness. I begin with photographing these elements in their natural habitats. The image(s) are then carefully embedded into layers of pigmented wax medium (beeswax, resin and pigments). The wax is applied in hot liquid form by brush, heated pen, manipulated with a heated iron or poured directly as liquid. Each layer is then fused together with a torch and scraped with a razor blade. I often fill the markings and etchings in the wax with oil pigment which reveals a “history” of the blade manipulations. Through thoughtful use of color, materials, and composition, I create a newly imagined,...

Artwork