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| A Pure Formality |
| Regiane Yuki Sabanai Presents Mary Ann Wakeley |
MARY ANN WAKELEY
Mixed Media Artist/Painter
Born 1961
Self taught painter -- painting full time since 2003
Art education
--life drawing at PA Academy of Fine Arts 1994
--life drawing and design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and
Sciences 1989
Musically inclined
--studied classical piano for seven years as a child
--a brief period of violin in the early 1990s
--favorites are stringed instruments especially the violin and cello
--paints to music
Other art pursuits
Mixed Media Artist/Painter
Born 1961
Self taught painter -- painting full time since 2003
Art education
--life drawing at PA Academy of Fine Arts 1994
--life drawing and design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and
Sciences 1989
Musically inclined
--studied classical piano for seven years as a child
--a brief period of violin in the early 1990s
--favorites are stringed instruments especially the violin and cello
--paints to music
Other art pursuits
--steel and aluminum and mixed media
wire sculpture, mainly palm sized but
have also produced two life sized pieces
2004-2006
--mixed media papier-mache and clay
work (on-going, but mainly produced
2006-2007)
-- Art Director/Curator of a new
international contemporary art gallery
here outside Philadelphia, Three Ravens
Gallery.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What inspires your art?
Music is my main inspiration. It draws the work out of me.
Although I am a visual artist, my perception of sounds and
vibrations in music are what gives my paintings their life
and emotional substance. It is a pleasant distraction that
sets the tone for what needs to be expressed. Once I
begin to get into the work, the music falls away a bit and I
become less conscious of it.
Color is also an inspiration but it isn't as if I see a color
and feel that I have to go and paint it. It is more a tool to
express what I am feeling.
What materials do you use?
Acrylic, pastel (chalk mainly but some oil), ink, and oil bar.
My supports cycle between unstretched primed canvas to
plywood to paper, and I recently worked on mdo board
which is resin coated plywood, the kind used in
sign-making.
What inspires your art?
Music is my main inspiration. It draws the work out of me.
Although I am a visual artist, my perception of sounds and
vibrations in music are what gives my paintings their life
and emotional substance. It is a pleasant distraction that
sets the tone for what needs to be expressed. Once I
begin to get into the work, the music falls away a bit and I
become less conscious of it.
Color is also an inspiration but it isn't as if I see a color
and feel that I have to go and paint it. It is more a tool to
express what I am feeling.
What materials do you use?
Acrylic, pastel (chalk mainly but some oil), ink, and oil bar.
My supports cycle between unstretched primed canvas to
plywood to paper, and I recently worked on mdo board
which is resin coated plywood, the kind used in
sign-making.
When I first started painting, most of what I did was oil or acrylic on canvas. It
was fine but it felt like something was missing. I wasn't getting the impact I
wanted from the materials. I began to incorporate paper mache into acrylic to
give it texture, and from there started adding pastel and ink.
When did you start to use wood and why?
In 2007 I began painting on pine plywood and then changed over to the
sturdier surface of birch. I do not care much for the texture of canvas. Primed
canvas has an artificial feel to me and doesn't absorb the color. Unprimed
canvas takes more of the paint but I do not like the flimsy feel of it. Wood is
more versatile in how it interacts with the color and the materials. I will often
apply chalk pastel directly onto the raw wood or leave areas of the wood grain
visible. I enjoy the sensual aspect of working with wood and the connection
with the natural element. From the beginning I disliked the "bounce" of
stretched canvas. Wood offers a sturdy and smooth work surface. I take my
chances when it comes to wood and warping. Many people gesso the wood
on both sides to prevent warping, but it defeats the purpose of using wood as
a natural material. I prefer to use unprimed wood when using more pastel
than acrylic. Oil sits nicely on wood and I have done a few of those as well.
was fine but it felt like something was missing. I wasn't getting the impact I
wanted from the materials. I began to incorporate paper mache into acrylic to
give it texture, and from there started adding pastel and ink.
When did you start to use wood and why?
In 2007 I began painting on pine plywood and then changed over to the
sturdier surface of birch. I do not care much for the texture of canvas. Primed
canvas has an artificial feel to me and doesn't absorb the color. Unprimed
canvas takes more of the paint but I do not like the flimsy feel of it. Wood is
more versatile in how it interacts with the color and the materials. I will often
apply chalk pastel directly onto the raw wood or leave areas of the wood grain
visible. I enjoy the sensual aspect of working with wood and the connection
with the natural element. From the beginning I disliked the "bounce" of
stretched canvas. Wood offers a sturdy and smooth work surface. I take my
chances when it comes to wood and warping. Many people gesso the wood
on both sides to prevent warping, but it defeats the purpose of using wood as
a natural material. I prefer to use unprimed wood when using more pastel
than acrylic. Oil sits nicely on wood and I have done a few of those as well.
My larger pieces are on canvas for practical purposes. A 70x70 on
canvas is less cumbersome to hang and transport versus one on
wood. However, at some point, I anticipate doing some very large
pieces on wood. It is really a matter of space and time.
Where is your studio?
In my home. I work in what was once a dining room. It is small but
works for now. When I do acquire a larger studio, it will still be a part
of where I live.
Do you work during the day or night?
99% of the time I work during the day with the most intensive and
productive time being between noon and five o'clock. I am very
sensitive to the light and how it affects the colors. I prefer natural to
artificial light. On cloudy days I may overcompensate in my work by
using stronger colors, but this I feel, simply lends itself to what may be
perceived as the uniqueness of a particular work.
canvas is less cumbersome to hang and transport versus one on
wood. However, at some point, I anticipate doing some very large
pieces on wood. It is really a matter of space and time.
Where is your studio?
In my home. I work in what was once a dining room. It is small but
works for now. When I do acquire a larger studio, it will still be a part
of where I live.
Do you work during the day or night?
99% of the time I work during the day with the most intensive and
productive time being between noon and five o'clock. I am very
sensitive to the light and how it affects the colors. I prefer natural to
artificial light. On cloudy days I may overcompensate in my work by
using stronger colors, but this I feel, simply lends itself to what may be
perceived as the uniqueness of a particular work.
I will also note that I rarely wear glasses when I paint. I
have tremendous difficulty seeing things up close
without glasses, but I cannot wear them when I paint,
especially large works. It kills the spontaneity. When I am
working smaller or more detailed I will periodically put
them on to get a read on what I am doing but I try not to
manipulate the image too much.
I have been doing smaller works on paper in the evening
mainly to make better use of the time. I find it quite
relaxing to sit and work at night. I do not sit when I am at
work in my studio.
Have you always painted abstracts?
have tremendous difficulty seeing things up close
without glasses, but I cannot wear them when I paint,
especially large works. It kills the spontaneity. When I am
working smaller or more detailed I will periodically put
them on to get a read on what I am doing but I try not to
manipulate the image too much.
I have been doing smaller works on paper in the evening
mainly to make better use of the time. I find it quite
relaxing to sit and work at night. I do not sit when I am at
work in my studio.
Have you always painted abstracts?
No. When I first started painting I was doing flowers
and ocean scenes. Never from still life, always from my
imagination. I still find ocean scenes very calming and
did a series of horizon line works on wood in 2009. I
am very much about what exists beyond the horizon. It
relates to the adventure-seeking side of me and gives
me the opportunity to explore a single line, something
that has fascinated me since I was a child.
I also painted portraits of people I knew and some
famous faces. I won't write off painting figuratively in
the future. I am very drawn to the figure and faces but I
tend to keep them separate in my own work. I have
been alluding to the human form in recent 2010
abstracts so I will be as surprised as anyone to see
where it leads.
and ocean scenes. Never from still life, always from my
imagination. I still find ocean scenes very calming and
did a series of horizon line works on wood in 2009. I
am very much about what exists beyond the horizon. It
relates to the adventure-seeking side of me and gives
me the opportunity to explore a single line, something
that has fascinated me since I was a child.
I also painted portraits of people I knew and some
famous faces. I won't write off painting figuratively in
the future. I am very drawn to the figure and faces but I
tend to keep them separate in my own work. I have
been alluding to the human form in recent 2010
abstracts so I will be as surprised as anyone to see
where it leads.
