Inspired by an Unusual View of Yr Wyddfa

I was recently inspired by a photograph taken by Ryan Hawkins (@ryan_hawkins_1) from the Watkin Path, showing Yr Wyddfa from a wonderfully unusual perspective.

It was the distinctive shape and character of the mountain that immediately caught my eye. I am always drawn to views of Eryri that feel a little different — familiar landscapes seen from an unexpected angle — and this photograph offered exactly that.

Translating the image into encaustic wax was a particularly enjoyable challenge. The texture of the mountain seemed to lend itself perfectly to the medium. Through layers of molten beeswax, pigment, heat and texture, I was able to build up the rugged rock faces, fractured ridges and weathered landscape of Yr Wyddfa.

The wax naturally creates a sense of depth and movement, while the heated tools and the natural qualities of the medium allow the surface to become almost as tactile as the mountain itself. I wanted to capture not just the shape of the peak, but the feeling of its exposed, rugged geology and the changing light across the landscape.

This painting is my interpretation of Ryan’s striking photograph — a collaboration, in a sense, between the inspiration of the original image and the unique qualities of encaustic wax.

Thank you to Ryan for capturing such an unusual and inspiring view of Yr Wyddfa. 🏔️

Inspired by a photograph by Ryan Hawkins — @ryan_hawkins_1.