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Wendy Chaney

 As a lifelong lover of, student of and collector of fine art, I never considered the possibility of actually trying my hand at it until a few years ago. Blame the pressures of making a living and raising a family, or just my own fears of the creative process, but whatever the reasons for my late bloom, when I picked up a pastel in 2004 my whole world changed. Fueled by a growing addiction to the beauty and range of pastels (and just the pure fun of all those gorgeous colors!) and by the ease of my increasingly empty nest, I have had the time of my life discovering the inherent possibilities of a blank piece of paper and a few hours uninterrupted time. Throw in the thrill of getting to disappear on my own on a beautiful summer day to “work” plein air and I feel like the cat that swallowed the canary.

 I have lived all my life in Illinois and Wisconsin (and more recently Michigan) and am an unashamed lover of the midwest landscape. Much of my inspiration comes from the beauty of the Great Lakes, the constantly changing light and color of the water and sky, as well as the poignancy of the disappearing rural landscapes.

I have recently begun experimenting with oil, and am learning that the lessons of one medium inform and strengthen my work in the other. I am eternally grateful that I have stumbled upon this amazing, challenging, frustrating and incredibly fulfilling occupation, and I hope that my work will ultimately honor the joy I have discovered and the wonderful people who have encouraged me along the way.

 

Medium:  Oil Pastel on Paper