Wendy Wacko Ventures Beyond
Working in isolation on a painting trip to British Columbia's Bugaboo Mountains was a turning point for Jasper artist.
Wendy Wacko “In the Spotlight,” 2018
oil on canvas, 48” x 60”
Wendy Wacko has painted landscapes for more than three decades and often focuses on the mountains around her home in Jasper, Alta. But the images in her show, Venture Beyond II, which opens at the Scott Gallery in Edmonton on Nov. 15, were inspired by a painting trip three years ago to the Bugaboos near Golden and Radium, just across the border with British Columbia.
“In some ways, these paintings tell the story of my process,” says Wacko, who describes the experience as “a turning point.” She made the trip with fellow painter, Jim Vest, who is represented by Mountain Galleries, the business Wacko founded in 1992 after an earlier career as an independent filmmaker.
“The loudest noise was the sound of the flapping wings of the eagles above us,” Wacko recalls. “The soft light, repetitive shapes and crystal clear air were surreal. The beauty was almost overwhelming.”
The experience – combined with a subsequent period working alone in the studio – convinced her that seclusion would be a critical step to finding her artistic voice.
“What really matters,” she says, “is the miles on your brush.”
Wendy Wacko “Bugaboo Abstraction,” 2018
oil on canvas, 48” x 60”
As the show’s title suggests, this is the second in a series that has stretched her boundaries. In this case, her challenge was to distance herself from source material and work more from her imagination.
One of her challenges has been finding time. But now, with a good team supporting her at Mountain Galleries, which has locations in Jasper, Banff and Whistler, she spends three months every year painting.
Wacko grew up in Toronto and studied at the city's Central Technical Art School and the New School of Art. She moved West in 1972 and five years later married Dwain Wacko, the owner of Jasper’s movie theatre.
Her mentors include the late Doris McCarthy, whose influence can be seen in Wacko’s work. Wacko paid homage to the Toronto artist in her 1980 film, Doris McCarthy: Heart of a Painter, which was licensed by the CBC.
After her show opens, Wacko is heading to the University of Toronto to speak at an academic symposium about McCarthy. She’ll share memories of a beloved friend and the painting trips they took every April for 27 years. ■
Wendy Wacko’s exhibition, Venture Beyond II, is on view at the Scott Gallery in Edmonton from Nov. 15 to Dec. 5, 2018.
