ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Jodi Wheeler is a Toronto based artist. Jodi studied visual arts at York University, graduating with her BFA in 1999. After working as an art dealer in Australia and Canada for six years she decided to return to her studio and pursue her career as a painter full time. Jodi currently shows with the Trias Gallery and Cobalt Gallery in Toronto.
Jodi spends much time photographing places and things to capture ‘moments’ that touch her. These photos are transferred into her paintings in hopes that they will touch others too. Jodi has photographed parks and scenery from various areas of Toronto to try to capture different images that depict her vision of home in this city. Jodi often shoots scenes from up north in areas like Gravenhurst & Muskoka, where the landscape reminds her of the cottage, and an image that so many relate to and fine comfort in.
Painting in acrylic on canvas Jodi incorporates photo transfers and text into her pieces. Text, which she writes, is carved in each of her works both as a visual design element and to tell a story to the viewer. The text is carved in a way that draws in the viewer with a longing to read it, but written in a way that is illegible, for the viewer to tell their own story and relate their own memories, emotions and experiences to her work.
With a smooth blending of colours, Jodi creates a backdrop for her images that sets a mood for the painting and evokes emotion. With the use of encaustic in some of her pieces Jodi adds an additional element of texture to her work. Her choice to use encaustic / wax for texture over other mediums was because wax was traditionally used to preserve things. Suggesting that she is trying to capture and preserve a moment in time.
In the fall of 2016 Jodi opened her own art gallery in the east end of Toronto called Blue Crow Gallery. Opening the gallery gave Jodi the opportunity to work with many great Canadian Artists again. Her passion to work in the retail gallery environment while still having her own art studio and creating her work is able to come to a balance here in this fun new space. Jodi also runs an art school for kids and adults at the gallery which is helping new budding artists embrace their desire to create and learn new skills.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a Toronto based artist. I was born in 1975 in Timmons, Ontario and grew up in Pickering Ontario. I studied visual arts at York University, graduating with my BFA in 1999. After working as an art dealer in Australia and Canada for several years I had decided to pursue my career as a painter full time.
I paint with acrylic paints on canvas, incorporating photo / Xerox transfers into my pieces. I spend much time photographing places and things to capture ‘moments’ that have touched me. These photos are transferred into my paintings in hopes that they will touch others too. I have photographed parks and scenery from various areas of Toronto to try to capture different images of every day life in the city. I have many trips up north to shoot scenes in areas like Gravenhurst & Muskoka, where the landscape reminds me of the cottage, and I can capture images that so many relate to and fine comfort in.
I attempt to create emotion with my colour pallet and smooth blending of colours
I carve text, which I write, into most of my work, both as a visual design element and to tell a story to the viewer. The text is carved in a way that draws in the viewer with a longing to read it, but written in a way that is illegible, for the viewer to tell their own story and relate their own memories, emotions and experiences to my work.
I never loved work that left nothing to the viewer’s imagination. I hope that with my own work I can create work to make others think or daydream in to my pieces and find their own stories and emotions.
I incorporate encaustic painting into some of my pieces to enhance the texture. I also love the idea of wax, as it was/ is so often used as a preservative. It is in these works that I am in some way trying to preserve that memory or moment.
I am influenced by nature; the world around us and all that has brought us to this point. I am taken by romance and long for the common ground, but will also linger in sadness and fester over any discomfort. I think these are all qualities which are equally expressed in my paintings.
This journey has just begun and I hope that you’ll follow me through it.
Sincerely,
Jodi Wheeler
