Artist Spotlight: Elaine Wendt

Each month, we highlight one of the talented artists in our reuse community. This month, it's mixed-media artist, Elaine Wendt!

Elaine’s artwork is a combination of her background in environmental science, and her passion for creating. Continue reading to learn more about Elaine, the inspiration and process behind her artwork, and why she loves ACR!

When did you start making art? 

I started learning how to play the piano when I was about 7, that was the first time I was introduced  to the world of art. I started painting and got into film development and photography in high school. I guess I’ve taken breaks over the years but it’s been a pretty constant activity in my life, and it’s definitely one of  the most important, too.

Which aspect of making is your favorite? 

I mostly enjoy making messes. I like that Jackson Pollock quote where he’s talking about how his  paintings are not the art, his process is the art, and the paintings are the residue. I learn a lot about myself and about life when I paint, and the more open I am to experiencing the moment, the more I can learn. I haven’t really perfected any kind of protocol or process, but I have a few conditional parameters that help encourage something like a dance to occur between the brushes and the pigments and the canvas and my body and mind.  

Where do you get your inspiration? 

I studied environmental science in both my bachelor’s and master’s which transformed the way that I see ‘waste’ and also the way that I see ‘art’, so I try to capture some of those ideas when I work. An example might be the collection of little dust particles, bits of trash, small forgotten or lost items that get swept up as I clean my living room. I’ve started taking pictures of these little piles and drawing them out as a brainstorming exercise. Or I might look at the way oil has spilled under a car in the parking lot and recreate its’ form on canvas as a brainstorming point of reference. When I’m not physically using a piece of trash in a piece, I try to incorporate some element of it in the essence of the painting. I believe this happens even through meditations like the exercise I described I do when I sweep. Much of the work I do is akin to map making, where certain colors and shapes represent concepts from a larger scale and make references to the world at large.

What is your preferred way to engage with your audience? 

I like to share my process with people. I would love to eventually teach workshops because I think a lot of people have ideas about why they either don’t understand abstract art, or don’t believe they could ever make it. Or both. I’ve had people tell me that their 4-year-old could paint the way I do, and I think  they’re completely right… and I hope they encourage their 4-year-olds to paint! But I guess most of the time the point is to let the paintings evoke whatever ideas or feelings each person might experience when they  see the painting. Covid has definitely interrupted a lot of those opportunities so I hope to start creating more in the coming months.

How does reuse play a part in your creativity? 

Depending on the piece, I might either be using recycled materials directly on the canvas or sometimes I am using secondhand supplies or repurposed materials as canvas or pigment or even brushes. I work with a lot of sandpaper scraps, discarded paint and used canvases. Canvases that I’ve painted over are probably the most common reused item in my studio. I have started incorporating a bit more collage type components into my exercises, warm up activities and meditations which has started to influence some sculpture work that will probably be coming out this year.

What compels you to donate to ACR? 

I am obsessed with creating as little waste as possible! I donate or gift a lot of things in my home, my studio and even in my closet to friends before taking things to donation centers because I want to be as sure as possible that whatever I’m donating will go to a good home and not end up wasted. I love going to reuse art centers though because I know that the demographic is oriented in the same direction as I am.

Do you have a favorite ACR find? How did you use it? 

I get a ton of paint from ACR, that probably gets the most use in my studio. But I also have found some enormous frames that are still waiting for the perfect piece to frame.

Where can we find out more about your work? 

I’m on Instagram @elaine.wendt and you can find more about exhibitions, commissions and my online shop at agathisms.com