A woman with blonde hair wearing sunglasses, kneeling on a dirt surface, smiling, holding a rock, with bright golden light shining from above amidst floating dust particles.
Theresa Stirling wearing sunglasses, holding a glass of red wine, sitting on a wooden bench outdoors in sunlight. Mobile phone resting on the bench beside her.

Theresa Stirling

Theresa Stirling is a contemporary encaustic artist known for luminous, large-scale works that explore texture, depth, and the tension between instinct and discipline. Working with beeswax, fire, and mixed media, she creates layered surfaces that feel both atmospheric and architectural—designed to integrate seamlessly within luxury spaces.

She works primarily on commission, collaborating with architects, designers, and collectors to develop site-responsive pieces aligned with the overall design language of a project. Her process is deliberate and design-driven, with careful attention to scale, light, and flow. The result is work that anchors a room with quiet presence. Stirling has completed the largest, encaustic projects in the country.

Her recent work expands into full wall installations, positioning encaustic as an architectural medium. Stirling’s work is held in private collections across the United States and has been featured in leading publications including USA Today, PBS and esteemed One & Only Resorts. She maintains a selective, concierge-level practice across high-end residential and hospitality projects.

In Theresa’s words:  “I love this work with all of me. It sure beats my corporate biotech marketing career any day. My sweet spot is this ancient art medium and working large. Working on big pieces really allows you to open up a piece, see what it wants. As a self-taught, I let myself play, be whimsical with the troweling on the wax, the splashes and mark-making. It’s all part of the energy transfer to the piece. We bring a lifetime of experience to each piece, and I give it my all. The alchemy of melting beeswax with fire never gets old.'“

Read Editorial Feature on Artist Theresa Stirling in Mountain Living Magazine

"Outside of my wife, my kids and maybe my dog, the art is my new favorite thing."

— S.N., Superior Court Judge, Washington D.C.

Theresa Stirling kneeling down, working on a large, textured mural on a wall with a hot glue gun.
Interior of a room with a stone wall, wooden floor, a wooden door, and a large abstract painting on the wall.
Theresa Stirling with long, wavy hair painting a large, detailed portrait of a gorilla's face on a textured wall. The artist is standing on a wooden ladder.
Collection of oil paints, brushes, and a sponge on a wooden surface.
A woman with blonde hair, sunglasses, and casual clothing kneeling on the ground in a smoky, golden-lit environment.
A messy pile of used, paint-covered tubes and bottles of paint on a floor.
Theresa Stirling at a furniture booth displaying wicker and textile home decor items, with one woman smiling at the camera and the other inspecting a piece of furniture.
Theresa Stirling wearing a black AC/DC t-shirt and denim apron stands at an artist's workstation with paint cans, brushes, and tools on a table, in front of a textured, abstract background.
Theresa Stirling taking a selfie outdoors, wearing large sunglasses and a black sleeveless top, with a parking lot and storefronts in the background.
Theresa Stirling sitting on the floor in front of a large landscape painting of mountains and sky. She is wearing a gray sweatshirt, gray pants, and sneakers, with a spray can and extension cord nearby.
Living room with large windows overlooking a lake and outdoor patio with lounge chairs and a hammock
Theresa Stirling sitting on a wooden chair outdoors, holding a glass of red wine, with a smartphone on the armrest beside her, and enjoying the sunlight.
Living room with large window showing trees outside, modern stone and wood fireplace with a painting of a longhorn steer above it, a blue couch with pillows, a patterned rug, and a ceiling light fixture.
Theresa Stirling painting a large landscape mural of a deer with antlers in a field, mountains, and sky.
Woman painting a large portrait of a dog on a canvas, seen from the side, in an art studio.
A large landscape painting of a cloudy sky, rolling hills, and a winding river in a museum or gallery wall.
Modern office reception area with abstract artwork, white and wood reception desk, and hanging pendant lights.
Two large landscape paintings of ocean scenes resting on a table outdoors, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
Indoor art studio with paintings of fish on tables, painting supplies, and a person working on a painting.
A woman painting a large mural of an eagle on an indoor ceiling. She's wearing blue gloves and using a spray paint or airbrush tool. The mural depicts an eagle's head with sharp beak and piercing eye, along with part of a fish and other elements.
Cover of Build Magazine featuring a modern house with large windows and stone accents, set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and trees.
Close-up of Theresa Stirling holding a blowtorch with a blue flame, wearing a blue glove and black clothing.
A woman standing at a large table with four sections, each displaying a detailed painting of fish in water. The room has wooden walls and large windows, some art supplies are visible on the table.
Living room with beige sectional sofa, cream and neutral pillows, beige walls, abstract black, white, and brown art triptych on wall, gray coffee table with wooden bowl and magazines, cream area rug, and large cream floor lamp.
Theresa Stirling wearing a plaid shirt, striped apron, and blue gloves is using a blowtorch on a large piece of art or material on a table.
Modern house with large glass windows and wooden accents, surrounded by trees and a grassy yard with rocks, outdoor seating area with red chairs.
A man in a pink shirt and white pants pointing at a large painting of a mountain lion in a snowy landscape hanging on a wall.
Two women sitting outdoors at sunset, smiling with sunglasses, beside a modern fire pit with flames over black rocks.
A woman wearing a gray t-shirt and purple gloves is working on a large abstract artwork using a spray tool. The artwork features a mix of black, white, gray, blue, and beige colors with a fluid, marbled appearance. The setting appears to be an art st
Large abstract landscape painting with cloudy sky, water reflection, and earthy terrain, hanging on a beige wall with a person standing nearby.
Theresa Stirling sitting on Adirondack chairs by a lake, with boats and a forested hill in the background.
Living room with white sofa decorated with yellow pillows and a dark green throw, a large painting of a beach scene on the wall, wooden double doors, a model sailboat, and a staircase with colorful glass handrails.
A lakeside scene with a paddleboard on the shore, calm water, and a dog standing on the gravel beach.
Theresa Stirling wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and black leggings is using a wrench to assemble a wooden structure outdoors on a concrete patio, with green grass, trees, and a white fence in the background.
Open-concept living and dining room with stone accent walls, large windows, vaulted wooden ceiling with exposed beams, and modern furniture.
Woman sitting in front of large abstract painting outdoors
Abstract triptych painting with blue, brown, and white colors on a black wall in an office or reception area.
Abstract textured painting with earthy tones hanging on a white wall, with a small security camera nearby.
Group of people sitting on a scaffold beneath a large ceiling mural depicting a natural scene with birds and water, some holding beer bottles, smiling and posing for the photo.
Theresa Stirling with long hair in a black jacket and jeans standing next to an abstract, large monochromatic portrait of a face with horns.
A large house with a red tile roof, stone and stucco exterior, surrounded by lush greenery and trees, with a water body in the background.
A large, detailed painting of a bison on a wall, with Theresa Stirling standing beside it looking at the artwork.
A stand-up paddleboard resting on a pebble beach near a calm body of water under a bright sun with clouds and mountains in the background.
Outdoor seating area with wooden chairs arranged around a stone fire pit, overlooking a lake with boats and mountains in the background, under a partly cloudy blue sky.
A marina with several boats docked along the pier, calm water reflecting the boats and sky, a clear blue sky with some wispy clouds, and a rocky shoreline in the foreground.
A partially finished charcoal and white paint painting of an owl with large yellow eyes and a detailed face on a textured abstract background.
A painting of a moose with antlers, lying down in a natural landscape, in soft earthy tones.
Theresa Stirling sitting in the driver's seat of a car, holding a cup with a straw, possibly a smoothie or milkshake, and smiling at the camera.
Abstract artwork with black, white, blue, and orange bubble-like patterns and crackle textures.
Dining room with a wooden table surrounded by six light gray upholstered chairs. A small potted tree is on the table. A large textured painting of an owl on a branch hangs on the yellow wall behind the table.
Theresa Stirling wearing sunglasses taking a selfie with two dogs in the back of a car. One dog is black and white, and the other is a large light-colored dog.
Open cans of melted wax and a pot of white wax with a double boiler on a work surface.
A hallway with three side-by-side paintings of trees on a brown wall, viewed through a white opening in a wall.
A person with brown hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a white quilted jacket and blue gloves, crouches in front of a large, textured, abstract painting outdoors. The painting features shades of blue, gray, and white, and is propped up against a wall w
Entrance to a public market with a large sign reading 'Public Market' and a clock showing approximately 1:10. The market has a sign for farmers and is bustling with people. A woman with blonde hair in jeans and a black jacket walks across the cobbles
Theresa Stirling cleaning or restoring a large forest landscape painting that depicts a wooded area with tall trees, moss-covered rocks, and sunlight filtering through the trees, while standing on a ladder.
Theresa Stirling cleaning a countertop in a kitchen with large windows showing a lake, trees, and a cross outside.
Abstract expressionist painting with a textured landscape appearance, blending light blue, white, beige, and dark brown colors.
Two small white dogs sitting on beige tile floor in front of a stone wall, with a large abstract painting of an owl hanging on the wall behind them.
A woman with blonde, wavy hair smiling inside a vehicle with a sunroof and beige interior.
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