POTSDAM -- Caroline Downing, Art Department chair at SUNY Potsdam, will teach a seven-hour hands-on workshop in encaustic, the ancient art of painting with warm beeswax.

It will be at downtown Snell Hall, room 229, 41 Elm St. on June 21 at 10 a.m.

Encaustic painting uses pigments in a beeswax medium on a wooden support, and was used for centuries by Greek and Roman artists. Course instruction includes preparing an image, working with a heat source to manipulate paint, and making the most of texture in creating an image. Workshop participants will complete an artwork to take home. No previous experience is necessary.

Cost is $90 and includes all materials. Materials and equipment for encaustic painting are expensive, but the class cost per student has been reduced thanks to a grant from the Sweetgrass Foundation, and additional financial assistance is also available thanks to this grant.

Pre-registration through SLC Arts is required: 315-265-6860 or go to www.slcartscouncil.org and click "Calendar."