Hilary Hanson Bruel is a Needham-based artist who works with encaustic paint – a mixture of beeswax, damar resin, and pigment that is applied in layers and fused with heat. Her multi-layer paintings are studies in color, composition, and texture that highlight the unique properties of the medium, and are informed by her background in both fine arts and graphic design. Most of her pieces incorporate other materials, including thread, paper, and pastels. While her subjects range from landscapes to the digital world to pure abstraction, all of her work explores the ways in which we see, experience, and communicate color. Hilary serves on the boards of the Needham and Newton Art Associations, and is a member of New England Wax.