Artist Statement: I work in both oil and encaustic, choosing the medium that best suits the painting. I enjoy the directness of oil and the luminous layers of encaustic, and I like that each medium asks something different of me. I usually begin with a direction rather than a detailed plan. As a painting develops, I’m looking for the right balance of light, composition, and surface. Some of my favorite passages are the ones I never intended—a scrape, a brushstroke, or a color relationship that suddenly feels right. Recognizing those moments, and knowing when to leave them alone, is one of the most satisfying parts of painting. My goal isn’t simply to describe a subject, but to make a painting where light, composition, and surface come together in a way that feels resolved. Biography: Working in oil and encaustic, Sally Hootnick has exhibited nationally, and her work is held in…