Statement

 Glenda Chamberlain

I am a Canadian-born artist who creates encaustic and multi-media pieces.  

Growing up in a very small farming community in northern Manitoba, Canada, I find myself again and again, returning to the colors of my youth in my art; colors of the earth; of nature.  Browns, golds, reds, ambers - the colors of fields ready to be planted, of grain waiting to be harvested, of stones wet from the rain, of autumn leaves.  When a life choice presents itself I tend to take the road that promises to provide the most adventure and that has led me to experiencing life in many cities in three countries; but always the one constant is my desire, need and ability to create.  As my life is an adventure and journey so is the creation of my art; an act of discovery; a way to connect with, and then visualize, the deepest parts of me to share with you. 

The way wax (encaustic) can exist in so many ways; soft or hard, translucent or opaque, warm or cool, encompassing or exclusive, supple or brittle - all without losing its essence - allows me to create art that mirrors the joy and energy I feel when I create and I hope, at a minimum inspire pleasure, but perhaps also surprise, a moment of thought, and hopefully, to experience a connection.

My technique is highly improvisational, beginning with little or no plan in place; trusting the process allows me to use distressing methods, natural decay processes, handmade papers, recycled elements, metals, shellac and pigments to influence the surface and provide depth and authenticity to my work. Layer upon layer is constructed (and then often deconstructed), revealing a work of art that is an unpredictable, yet in a strange way purposely designed; a combination of accident and intent.

As such, it's difficult for me to be governed by a particular theme or message or style in my art... combining elements (often unexpectedly) is what I find exciting.  I am influenced by what I am thinking and feeling when I walk into my studio.  Memories, current events even the weather will impact what I am working on - what I imagined the finished piece will look like on one day can go in a totally different direction the next. What is constant though is that I am inspired by natural forms, textures, organic structures and the concept of deterioration and regeneration and how symbols connect humanity through time. 

In the last couple of years I have begun a conscious effort to adopt a greener, more natural, back to the earth lifestyle and as a result I am working towards creating more and more eco-friendly art.  I am beginning to use as many natural, organic and green materials as possible as well as incorporating recycled items into my mixed media pieces.  For example, several of my pieces use natural beeswax, unbleached cotton fiber and rust created from cast off iron parts, and the designs are created outside, open to the weather, which brings nature herself into the piece.

Encaustic provides the perfect tension between new and old.... contemporary art from an ancient process

Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.  Thank-you for your interest and supporting original art.

Enjoy!