Today we’d like to introduce you to Polly Maccini.
Hi Polly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey to becoming an encaustic artist and founder of Wax On Creations, LLC is rooted in a lifelong love of learning, nature, and creativity. Before starting my art business, I spent many years as a mathematics teacher and later as a professor at the University of Maryland. While my professional career focused on education, I always had a deep appreciation for art and the natural world.
My father was a geologist and watercolor artist who inspired my love of painting, observation, and exploration. After retiring from teaching, I began pursuing art more seriously and discovered encaustic painting, an ancient medium that combines beeswax, damar resin, pigment, and heat.
Living in Michigan has provided endless inspiration. Whether I’m exploring the shores of the Great Lakes, searching for Petoskey stones with my family, tending my gardens, or caring for my honeybees, I find beauty everywhere. Through my artwork, I try to capture those special moments and share them with others. What began as a creative passion has grown into Wax On Creations, LLC, a business that allows me to combine my love of art, nature, beekeeping, and pollinator conservation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many artists, one of the biggest challenges was learning the business side of art. Creating artwork is only one part of the journey. Building a website, developing a social media presence, finding galleries and retail locations, pricing artwork appropriately, and learning how to market my work all required a significant investment of time and energy.
Another challenge was introducing people to encaustic art. Many people have never heard of the medium, so I often spend time educating customers about the process and explaining why encaustic paintings have such unique texture, depth, and luminosity.
Because encaustic painting is labor-intensive, each piece requires many layers of wax, pigment, and heat. The process can be time-consuming and technically demanding, but the results are worth the effort. I’ve learned that persistence, patience, and a willingness to keep learning are essential when building an art business.
Perhaps the biggest lesson has been believing in myself and putting my work out into the world. Every gallery, local business, art fair, and online sale represents a step forward in sharing my passion with others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My encaustic work combines my love of Michigan’s natural beauty, beekeeping, and artistic expression. Encaustic painting is an ancient art form that uses beeswax, damar resin, pigments, and heat to create richly layered paintings with depth, texture, and luminosity. As a Michigan beekeeper, I incorporate beeswax from my own hives into many of my pieces, creating a direct connection between my artwork and the natural world.
My paintings are inspired by the landscapes, shorelines, waterways, and natural treasures of Michigan. I am particularly drawn to the colors, textures, and patterns found in nature, from Petoskey stones and Great Lakes shorelines to pollinators and native plants. My background in mathematics also influences my work, as I enjoy exploring repeating patterns, relationships, and structures within nature.
Each encaustic painting is built layer by layer, fusing molten wax and pigment with heat. The process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it allows me to create artwork that captures both the beauty and spirit of the places and moments that inspire me.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are several people who deserve tremendous credit for helping me build Wax On Creations, LLC. First and foremost, my husband and daughter have been my biggest supporters. They have encouraged me every step of the way and have helped with marketing, social media, photography, displaying artwork, traveling to galleries and local businesses, and brainstorming new ideas.
I am also deeply grateful to my beekeeping mentor, Dale Lesser of Lesser Farms in Dexter. He taught me how to establish and care for my honeybee and generously shared his knowledge over the years. Without his guidance, I would not have developed the beekeeping skills that are now such an important part of my artistic process.
I would also credit my father, who was both a geologist and an artist. His curiosity, creativity, and appreciation for the natural world inspired my own love of art, education, and exploration. His influence continues to shape the way I observe nature and create my paintings today.
Finally, I am thankful for the local businesses, galleries, customers, friends, and fellow artists who have supported Wax On Creations, LLC. Their encouragement has helped me turn a lifelong passion into a growing art business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.waxoncreations.com
- Instagram: @waxoncreationsllc
- Facebook: Wax On Creations, LLC
- Other: https://waxoncreationsllc.etsy.com
