Nine To Noon The artist and beekeeper who made a real-life Beehive
Nov 11, 2025
Kim Kobielko, an innovative artist and beekeeper behind Studio Reset, blends encaustic painting with bee-built sculptures. She explores the enchanting world of wax, detailing how she uses bees' natural architecture to create captivating forms. Kim shares the challenges of transporting delicate honeycomb sculptures and discusses the sensory reactions of viewers, especially children, to her work. She also reflects on the ethical aspects of beekeeping and the personal significance of her projects, including fundraising efforts for Women's Refuge.
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Studio As Sensory Reset
- Kim named her studio 'Studio Reset' because entering it calms stress and centers her with the smell of pollen and honey.
- She uses beeswax candles and repurposed plates to reset and create encaustic works.
Encaustics: Burned-In Wax Painting
- Encaustic painting means 'to burn in' and uses molten wax fused with a blowtorch to layer and bind pigments.
- The medium produces thick, highly textured surfaces that can feel almost three-dimensional.
From Hanger Experiments To Bee-Built Sculptures
- After a shoulder injury Kim experimented with 3D by placing hangers and wire in hives to see what bees would build around.
- Successful results included a honeycomb vase and a larger beehive sculpture where bees built comb around a preformed structure.