Elise Wagner, Peak, 2018, Encaustic and oil on panel, 32″ x 20″ x 2.25″
On view in the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center from June 2-July 31, 2025
Opening Reception on Saturday July 9, 2025. More info >>
About the Exhibition
Celestial Currents presents a body of work that reflects Elise Wagner’s deep engagement with the unseen forces shaping both the cosmos and human experience. Drawing on her longstanding interest in the intersection of art, science, and the natural world, Wagner uses encaustic and mixed media to explore the invisible architectures of the universe—magnetic fields, atmospheric patterns, planetary motion, and quantum energy.
The title Celestial Currents speaks to the dynamic movement inherent in these systems. Wagner’s layered process—fusing wax, pigment, and drawing—mirrors the geological and cosmic phenomena she investigates. Her surfaces evoke star maps, shifting tectonics, and the elegant chaos of fluid dynamics, suggesting the deep interconnectivity between physical matter and the intangible forces that shape it.
Rooted in both scientific inquiry and metaphysical wonder, Wagner’s work offers a visual language for contemplating the rhythms of the universe. Each piece serves as a meditation on scale, time, and transformation, inviting viewers to consider their place within a broader, ever-evolving cosmos.
This exhibition invites reflection on the harmony between precision and unpredictability, structure and fluidity – offering a space where scientific knowledge and poetic intuition coalesce.
About Elise Wagner
Elise Wagner, courtesy of Rebekah Johnson
Elise Wagner, a painter, printmaker, educator, and innovator, currently resides on the North Coast of Oregon in Astoria, having originally hailed from Jersey City, New Jersey. Since 1986, she has called Oregon her home, where her creative journey has evolved into a distinctive fusion of artistic expression, spiritual exploration, and a profound interest in various scientific disciplines. Elise’s work seamlessly integrates her fascination with physics, astronomy, geology, cartography, and meteorology, exploring their connections to evolving technologies and the environment.
Notable for her artistic contributions, Elise has garnered recognition, including the prestigious 2015-16 Pollock Krasner Foundation Award, several regional awards, and grants from esteemed institutions such as the Ford Family Foundation, the Oregon Arts Commission, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council. Her art graces galleries in Washington D.C., Astoria, New York, Palm Springs, and Seattle. 2022 marked a particularly productive and successful year for Elise, with a solo exhibition, “Tipping Points,” at Frederick Holmes & Company in Seattle, followed by a three-person exhibition at Alex Ferrone Gallery in Cutchogue, New York, and her solo exhibition at Imogen Gallery in Astoria, Oregon.
Elise’s artistic footprint extends into corporate and private collections throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Beyond her artistic endeavors, she is a dedicated educator, sought after internationally to teach and present encaustic painting and printmaking at conferences and institutions. Currently, Elise imparts her knowledge through semi-private workshops.
Her artistic passion ignited early in life, fueled by parental and teacher encouragement. Despite a serious car accident as a teenager that altered her dream of becoming a professional dancer, Elise’s survival became an enduring source of inspiration for her artistic journey.
While she identifies as a city dweller, Elise’s move to Portland allowed her to appreciate the geology and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Art History from Portland State University, she developed a fascination with color chemistry and art materials while working at the Gamblin Artist’s Colors factory. Elise discovered encaustic painting during college, teaching herself the technique in her Northeast Portland studio during an era when information on the subject was scarce.
Encaustic painting captivated Elise with its translucency, dimensionality, quick drying time, and versatility with other mediums. In 2003, she launched Wagner Encaustics, her boutique line of encaustic paints, after creating her unique colors. Pioneering encaustic collagraph printmaking, she blended encaustic painting with intaglio printmaking techniques, developing a specially formulated white wax for easy release. Since 1996, Elise has shared her passion and knowledge by teaching encaustic painting and printmaking in her local community and across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
In 2022, Elise embraced the North Coast of Oregon as her new home, sharing her space with her companions, Willomina the dog and Rothko the cat. Notably, she shares her birthday with the renowned artist Mark Rothko, and her college studio occupies the same building where Rothko attended elementary school, now part of the PSU campus in Portland.