Artist Statement:
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Wendy Campbell’s artistic journey has been shaped by years spent living outside of Canada, in places like Grand Cayman, Japan, and Germany. These diverse cultural landscapes, along with her travels across Canada, have deeply influenced her work.
“Much of my figurative work is driven by a process that resembles automatism, where I let my unconscious mind take the lead. Random lines appear on the canvas, and from them, figures emerge organically. The result is a style that balances figuration with abstraction, blending graphic elements and vibrant colours. This process allows for a spontaneous expression of emotions and experiences, often revealing hidden connections and meanings.
Central to my work are themes of mindfulness, acceptance, inclusion, and compassion. I am interested in the idea of imperfection—not as something to be fixed or avoided, but as a vital part of our humanity. I embrace flaws and quirks, seeing them as essential aspects of both the human experience and the natural world.
Through my art, I hope to create a space for reflection, dialogue, and empathy—inviting others to find beauty in the imperfect and to connect with the world around them in a more mindful, compassionate way.”
My abstract paintings belong to a series called “Chaos Theory” and refer (loosely) to the concept that all things in this world are connected – that even a very small change can result in dramatic effects over distance and time. The paintings are deconstructions of elements in nature, its wildlife, landscapes, sky and water. Colours are scattered and layered repeatedly and then heavily outlined to create a cohesive whole. Ultimately, these paintings are a kind of “meditative wish” – a wish for a humankind that reflects carefully on its choices; a humankind with a resolute awareness that even the smallest steps in a different direction, could, over time, change everything.
Birdlandia.ca – I’ve been sketching little birds for quite a while. Sometimes these sketches become paintings but recently they have made their way into Procreate software on my iPad Pro where I make digital drawings. The response to these little drawings has been so great that I took the advice of several viewers and began creating the series now known as Birdlandia.
Birdlandia is a work in progress but the main themes include compassion, kindness, cooperation, forgiveness, and the environment. Oh, and just plain fun too!”
In 2009, I created the art blog Daily Art Fixx. It was here that I began studying art history and contemporary art, for inspiration and education. These studies influenced and continue to influence my own work. Specific movements and artists I connect with (but not limited to) include primitivism, cubism (Picasso, Chagall), First Nations art (Morrisseau, Odjig, Janvier), expressionism (Kirchner, Schiele), abstract expressionism (de Kooning, Pollock), neo expressionism (Basquiat) and automatistism (Riopelle).
Since 2010, I have resided in Ontario, namely, Toronto, Cambridge and currently Hamilton.
In November 2022, I opened a small shop called Unperfekt Studios at the historic Hamilton Farmers’ Market. The shop carries a selection of my original work and reproductions as well as work by mostly local artisans.
From 2012 – 2017, I was the Co-Chair of the Cambridge Arts Festival – an annual celebration of music, performance, visual arts, and community in the City of Cambridge. In 2017, I founded CAF Collective, a group of Cambridge-based artists that collaborated to create a live large-scale art installation and printmaking workshop on July 22, 2017 as part of Cambridge Arts Festival. An exhibition of our individual works were also on display in July at a pop-up gallery at 63 Dickson Street in Cambridge.