Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Wendy Isler Alvarez | Artist Statement


I believe that creating Art is a transcendent experience driven by imagination, intuition and the excitement of discovery. As a child I felt that making art was a a joyful adventure and throughout my career as an art teacher I recognized that same sense of wonder and delight reflected in the work of my students.

I love the freedom of working in mixed media and my series of
3-dimensional wall hangings are created on the large frond bases of the Queen Palm tree. These powerfully elegant natural forms invite and inspire me to explore surface dynamics of color, pattern and texture.

My latest series, Kindreds, continues that exploration on canvas while referencing design motifs used by various cultures throughout time. In exploring these patterns I seek to create images resonating with essential energies that unite them to one another and to other creatures.

I greatly admire the work of earth sculptor Robert Smithson as well as the artist Rufino Tamayo and have also been happily influenced by the countless young artists I taught throughout the years.

But most importantly, the Apache and Navajo artists with whom I spent the summer of 1996 showed me the many profound ways Art can be informed by Nature and Belief. This transformative experience forever changed my creative process and I now always strive to celebrate the vibrant spirit of the Natural World in my work.

My website is www.wendyalvarezart.com