Rebecca Stevenson – Wax artist

Rebecca Stevenson is a British artist whose specialism is wax, an ancient sculptural medium. The history of wax is extensive, from the lost wax processes used in bronze sculpture dating back to the Egyptians in antiquity. The sweet and the sinister commingle in her wax sculptures that depict humans and animals bursting open to reveal flowers and fruits. Classical busts and seemingly deceased animals are surrounded by ribboning cascades of plants. To create her sculptures, Stevenson starts by modeling the animal or figure in clay, and then moulds and casts the model with layered resin and wax. Stevenson then cuts open and reworks the sculpture, a process both surgical and artistic, as she decides which elements to dis- or re-figure, and which to leave alone.The wax sculptures of Rebecca Stevenson reference both Dutch still-life painting and the creatures and themes of myth. Her recent work continues to investigate themes of life, death, and nature.