Brian Nelson, wears many hats. He is an Encaustic Artist of South Yorkshire, the founder of Encaustic Art Plus, and as of April 2020 Brian Nelson is also the founder of a new organisation Encaustic Art UK taking over from Michael Bossom as the sole importer and distributer of Encaustic Art tools and materials within the United Kingdom.
Brian spent many months recoving following a life changing event which resulted in the loss of his beloved, award-winning floristry shop in South Yorkshire. During the time Brian spent recovering he met with Michael and Shona Bossom who introduced him to the world of painting with Bees Wax.
After seeing Michael Bossom paint with bees wax using a flat iron, brian was both fascinated and inspired. As a result he spent many of the months of recovery discovering his new found hobby, painting with bees wax - or as it is better known Encaustic Art.
Brian was born with a rare type of artheritis. All through his life Brian has learnt to adapt the way he does things to enable himself to do things that even medical proffesionals said would not have been possible for him.
Guess what! True to his nature, this is exactly what Brian started to do when he painted with bees wax! He started to see needs within the Encaustic community where some people were struggling to be able use the tools. It was this need that Brian saw that was the driving force behind him turning his new found hobby into a career and in 2009 Brian founded Encaustic Art Plus.
Brian based Encaustic Art Plus at the heart of the Dearne Valley in South Yorkshire where he has a has a retail at Elsecar Heritage Centre which serves both as a shop and a workshop.
From this workshop Brian has taught thousands of people of all ages and abilities since opening in 2009. Teaching and aiding all who embark on his his workshops to ensure that Encaustic Art is accessible to All people of all abilities!
Brian's spark, enthusiam and unique style of teaching did not go unnoticed in the Encaustic Art world. In 2021 Michael Bossom Founder of Arts Encaustic in the UK, and Developer of many of the Encaustic Art tools which are available today contacted Brian.
It was a long phone call, and during that phone call Michael told Brian that in 2022 he was planning to retire from being the only importer and distributor of Encaustic Art tools and materials in the UK. During the phone call Michael also expressed his admiration for Brian's spark and enthusiam for the art form.
At the end of the phone call Michael asked Brian if he would accept the offer become the captain of the Encaustic Art ship. Michael believed Brian was the one to saild the ship into new seas where new adventures await!
Brian accepted the offer, and opened up a second business Encaustic Art UK becoming UK's only importer and distributer of Encaustic Art tools and materials.
In his own admission, Brian says. “Following Michael Bossom, one has some very big shoes to fill. Nevertheless, exciting times are ahead”.