Did you know this fact about Beeswax?
Beeswax was introduced to candle making as an alternative to tallow in the middle ages. Beeswax candles burn brighter longer, cleaner with less smoke, and they were fragrant and much preferred over the acrid smell of tallow candles. However, beeswax candles were always extremely expensive in the Middle Ages, and got more so throughout the period as deforestation in most of Europe reduced the bee population. By the high Middle Ages, a pound of beeswax candles could cost over two days’ wages, which meant that beeswax candles were used almost exclusively by the upper classes and the Church in Europe during this time. All candles were made by dipping until the 1400's, when a French inventor introduced molds for taper candles.
Meet your instructor, Heather
Heather O’Shaughnessy is the founder of The School of the Forgotten Arts and a lifelong artist. One of her areas of expertise just happens to be beeswax. As a sculptor and a history geek, her introduction to working with beeswax came through the study of the art of wax portraiture, a 16th century art form that haunted the shelves of cabinets of Curiosity across Europe. Through wax portraiture, she discovered wax flower modelling, a lost Victorian parlour art, and the forgotten art that sparked the idea for The School of The Forgotten Arts. “Wax candle rolling seemed to be the perfect addition to our workshops and subjects of study. It’s just super easy and fun and you can achieve a really lovely result every time. Working with beeswax is a tactile and fully immersive experience. It’s fragrant and workable, and best of all, almost anyone can participate in some way.”
