Shelley Wuitchik

Art

Painting, Abstract

Location

Victoria, BC

Currently in the Gallery

About the Artist

"For me, painting with encaustic, creates a state of totipotentia:, a latin term meaning the ability for all things. A totipotent cell has the potential to develop and differentiate into any cell in the body, be it skin, bone or even heart tissue."

Encaustic painting is also filled with such potential. Since the medium is incredibly malleable and fluid, I am able to mix it with vibrant pigments and embed sculptural elements. I  seek to illustrate the flow of water, the dense weight of the earth and the flashy and volatile qualities of fire.

My work is a reflection of my life, the rich texture of my family, history and experiences are blended together just as composition colours melt into swirls of water and bursts of fire. The ebb and flow of the seasons is divided into different series which I explore both the macroscopic and microscopic in tandem. With sweeping gestures of my blowtorch, I am not only burning in the medium, adhering layer to layer. I am also burning in memory, time and space. I hope the luminosity and movement of my work offers the viewer the same spontaneity and transformation I experience as I paint.

 

Totipotentia,  all things are possible.