Wanda DeWaard's Biography

Dear Viewer

"With art there are always three presences,
one the artist,  two the artwork and  three the viewer.
I have not seen a biography written in this way,  but it feels more creative to me
and I guess that is what it is about," said Wanda DeWaard.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about me and my thoughts around my artwork. 

I am told my paintings are as colourful as my laugh.  I have a deep love and compassion for all animals and enjoy painting them.  I see humility and innocence in them and want to be close to that.  I hope you, the viewer, feel this from my paintings.   A bit of “Giggle Factor” is what I like to leave you with, uplifted and light hearted with a smile.

Thinking of my body of artwork as a whole, at this time, can best be phrased as “North meets South”

I hope you enjoy my works as much as I have in creating them!

Although I take my artwork seriously,   the  paintings do not  create a serious mood.

“What led you to paint polar scenes?”  I am often asked. While studying at The Victoria College of Art & Design (VCAD) I was missing my winters. That was the first winter I had spent outside of the Interior.  Learning that I yearned for winter inspired me to paint my first polar scene, “Home” a penguin chick nestled up to it’s parent in a colourful back drop polar scene.  One painting always leads to the next.  I love colour.  It is apparent in my work.  I am curious and interested how colour will neighbor another. The exploration of it is one part of my process.  My paintings quite often arrive from scenes that I imagine. I am inspired by the dance between the real an imagined world.  Wondrous I am as to what direction my art is going to develop into next.  It is an adventure for me, as life is, and I am loving it!

One day, a viewer mentioned that he thought my artwork had an aboriginal feel to it.  This is an interesting observation as I am Métis.  This is from my mother’s side.  My origins go back to the La Have tribe from Nova Scotia.  I never picked up on this myself but after others have mentioned it as well.  Who knows where inspiration and creativity originate. 

A much admired art teacher of mine said to me “You do not try to find a style.  You learn to paint and your style will come forth from inside you.  So do not worry about this, it will come.”

It all started one summer’s day when I was born in the little town of Golden B.C., Canada. I spent my days there living next to the slow moving, beautiful Columbia River, riding bikes, singing songs and always colouring and drawing.  My mother kept me in stock of an endless supply of Crayolas and Colouring Books.  It was in 1977 my family moved to Cranbrook BC.  This is now where I lay my head at night and call Home in my heart. Growing up I imagined myself as becoming an Architect taking Drafting from Grade 8 to 12.  I enjoyed it and thought this is what I will be when I grow up.  My creative artistic journey is one I kept to myself, mostly drawing in my spare time through out my school years.  One day, I had an epiphany and decided to venture off to study art as an adult at The Victoria College of Art & Design (VCAD). This experience was comparable to waking up Christmas morning day after day.  It was a beautiful period of my life that I cherish.

Take Care
Wanda DeWaard