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Wendy is a versatile artist in a number of mediums. Mostly a landscape painter, she finds inspiration from the beauty and perfection of nature and seeks to capture its infinite variety of light and colour.
Having done much travel, she is interested in people and how they go about their everyday lives in the places they find themselves. Some of the figurative work comes from her background in dance and the theatre arts. Other images come from inside; from snippets of memory or imagination.
Her style frequently changes from realism through to abstract expressionism. Often the image dictates the medium chosen.
Wendy continues to explore bright, high-key colours creating interestiing brushwork in semi-abstracted oils.
Federation of Canadian Artists - Active Membership
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| EDUCATION - Wendy Neilson |
B.A. - University of B.C. 1968
B.Ed (Art) - University of Victoria 1988
Dip. Of Art - Victoria College of Art 1996
Banff Summer School of the Arts, AB
Naramata Summer School of the Arts, B.C.
Haliburton Summer School of the Arts, Ont.
Studied under Gordon Smith, OC.,Gov.Gen.Award, Canadian painter at UBC
Studied under various Artist Mentor Classes in B.C., Europe, Africa
Studied under Denis Cliff, SCA,RCA,Toronto School of Art, Canadian painter
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| ARTIST STATEMENT |
As an artist, I seek to readdress the familiar and represent a positive idealized image
of the truth - reaching for that illusive spirit of "something beyond ourselves".
As a geographer, the landscape to me provides much stimulation and wisdom about the environment, our world, and about my real sense of place in it.
Excited by nature, light, and energy, I simply respond to what strikes me as beautiful, such as striking green fields or exotic flowers. And sometimes, I just create what is impressed on my heart or memory, often in response to writing, poetry or music where results tend to be more abstract.
The lure of new places, scenery and landscapes are what keeps me inspired. There is nothing like a walk in the woods, searching for that spot and then aspiring to a good plein air painting! These paintings serve as ideas for larger works of mood and feeling along with sketches, photos, and combined images.
Generally, my art has evolved from realist to a more abstract approach; idea to image.
To keep mystery and embrace freshness and change, I still wish to refer to the familiar within an imagined setting. I set design parameters and respond intuitively.
In all my gallery paintings, whether landscape, still life, figurative or abstract, I seek to address that "ENERGY FORCE" that makes everything so full of life. The image dictates the choice of medium and the process that best expresses that energy.
My favorite experimental medium is Acrylic, but over the years, more accomplished paintings have recently appeared in Oil or Chalk Pastel. In my figurative work, I try to capture the subject in a gestural energetic manner; the spirit of the dance, the connection of a relationship, or the character of a person. I wish always to be changing and moving toward a new style.
In the past, I have had the good fortune to be taught at the University of B.C. by the Canadian painter Gordon Smith, a true naturalist, but also glean from impressionists and modernists.
I continue to explore bright clear color, composed with solid design, lost and found brushstrokes and smooth simple gradated shapes. Working in series, I strive for images that leave something to the viewers' imagination so that they be part of the creation. |
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| BIO
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I would always cut my math homework short so I could spend more hours drawing.
At the age of 12 growing up in the interior, I remember my first painting was a pastel of a pine tree by the lake. For years I dabbled and painted along with my mother, a pastel and oil painter. Art programs in High School and University were a delight and a source of great satisfaction. As a dancer, the theatre and design arts were also a large part of my life, so choosing only visual art was a challenge.
As an adult, I got to travel extensively and came back with oil paintings of Europe and Africa; themes which continue in my landscapes today. The theatre spurred my leadership in costume design and set painting. Then, family life and a teaching career slowed me down. Watercolor and acrylic paintings were sporadic over the next decade until I renewed my passion and spent more and more of my spare hours at the easel. After teaching Art, I decided to attend Art School for a few years to refine my initial endeavors. I have had excellent mentors in my past formal training, but the most valuable I found was myself - painting persistently and obsessively, as I was advised!
Since the 80's, my skills, work habits, and time commitments have steadily improved for me to become a full time artist. Often you will find me "en plein air" painting at a favorite spot or traveling. I work in pastel, acrylic, and oil, and have confidence in watercolor.
My answer to the question "How long did it take you to paint that?" solicits a quick response "Oh, about 30 years!" The pursuit of Gallery representation has been slow, though I have exhibited in professional galleries.
I love to teach art and encourage artists at workshops in my Victoria studio, at University of Victoria, Artworld, Island Blue Graphics, and to various groups on Vancouver Island. I feel privileged to live in Victoria next to so many inspiring artists.
Paintings have been exhibited and sold in B.C., Ontario, California, Florida, England, Switzerland and South Africa.
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ACTIVITIES
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Book Illustrator - Dept. of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.
Art Education Teacher - Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Moss St. Victoria, B.C.
Adult Classes in Painting and Drawing - Artspace, Chatham Street, Victoria, B.C.
Workshops in Acrylic and Pastel: Vancouver , and mid Vancouver Island
Studied under Marion Small, Bill Zuk, Jeff Hodder, at University of Victoria
Art and Architecture Course - teaching, Extension Dept. University of Victoria
Professional Architectural Renderings: for corporate clients, Neilson Digital Media, Douglas Street, Victoria, B.C.
Art and Architecture Workshops for Teachers - Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox,
Port Alberni; Architectural Institute of B.C., Vancouver, B.C.
Multi-media Presentation and Lecture on Teaching Art: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Project: Art in the Schools - Oaklands Historical Project Murals, paintings and collage, Oakland School, Victoria, B.C.
Private Art Classes ? 10 years, private art studio, children, adults, Victoria, B.C.
Adult Art Classes - Juan de Fuca Community Centre, Victoria, B.C.
Oxford Learning Centre: Murals, Shelbourne and MacKenzie, Victoria, B.C.
Set Design Painting - Victoria Operatic Society, MacPherson Theatre, Victoria, B.C.
Costume Designer for 3 Performances - Victoria Operatic Society Musical Productions . MacPherson Theatre, Victoria, B.C.
Naramata Summer School of Fine Arts: Theatre Division: Set Design and acting, Pentiction, B.C.
Showcase Photography Group: Johannesburg, South Africa
Ballet Modern Dance: two performances, Johannesburg, South Africa
Rainbow School of Dance under Pat Gee; numerous performances, Kamloops, B.C.
Lynda Raino School of Modern Dance for Adults: numerous performances, MacPherson Theatre, Victoria, B.C.
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EDUCATION I BIO I STATEMENT I ACTIVITIES