“Encaustic Wax and Water: Lady Isabella”

Having recently completed an encaustic painting of Ramsey Bridge on the Isle of Man for a collector, I was delighted—but a little daunted—when asked to take on another iconic landmark: the Laxey Wheel.

Known as the “Lady Isabella,” the Laxey Wheel is the largest working waterwheel in the world. Built in 1854 to pump water from the lead mines of the Great Laxey Mining Company, it’s a striking symbol of Victorian engineering. With its vast red and white ironwork and dramatic stone structure set into the hillside, it’s both beautiful and complex to capture in wax.

This painting has been one of my most challenging to date. The finished piece is an artist’s impression—shaped by the collector’s personal requests and created using a multitude of reference photographs. The work blends historical detail with the expressive, textural possibilities of encaustic, bringing together industrial grandeur and artistic interpretation.

I’m thrilled to say they’re really happy with the result.