Photo encaustic and crystals on cradle board.

6×6×1.5

Skyline 505 began with a photograph I captured from a client’s home in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, offering a striking view that stretches from the Steel Tower across the downtown skyline to the West End Bridge. The original image, rendered in black and white, captures the structured rhythm and architectural poetry of the city.

To deepen the mood and introduce a sense of wonder, I layered vibrant clouds into the scene using encaustic wax—adding movement, drama, and color to the stillness. Crystals were then embedded across the surface, catching the light like daylight stars scattered across the sky—subtle glints that shimmer against the urban backdrop. The wax blurs the edges, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that lifts the piece into a space between memory and imagination, where the city feels both grounded and otherworldly.