MaryLou Wakefield is a contemporary abstract artist who works primarily in painting and print making. Inspired by forces in nature, architecture and design, and narrative, MaryLou’s work is an expression of the intangible, the unknown or hidden, that which cannot be easily described with words. Her work is layered with one-of-a-kind marks, bold, rich colour and textures derived from gestural writing and print making techniques. MaryLou spent her youth as a free range explorer of the wilds of North Vancouver and the wider west coast landscape. She moved to Vancouver Island in the early 80s and worked professionally as a writer/editor for more than 30 years, crafting narratives for organizations that focused on story telling. The unique visual language she creates in her abstract paintings also tells a story. MaryLou has taught calligraphy and more recently a ‘Mark Making with Handmade Brushes’ workshop for local arts organizations and at the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts (MISSA) on Vancouver Island, B.C.
Today, MaryLou works from her home studio on Vancouver Island, B.C. adjacent to the Salish Sea. She has participated in art residencies in Victoria, the Gulf Islands and in Mexico City. Her paintings and prints have been exhibited in galleries in Victoria, Vancouver, and in New York. Her works are held in private collections around the world. A series of works on paper will be exhibited at a gallery in Victoria, B.C. in October, 2025.
I use abstract expressionism to respond to profound life experiences, powerful ideas, the natural world, and narrative ideas in prose, poetry and music. Embedded in the work is the intangible, the unknown, the hidden or the obscured - that which cannot be described with words. My work is my way of making sense of the world and my response to it. I use abstract expressionism to tell a story with my own visual language which is bold colour, gestural writing, and mark making. Together, these elements give shape to an emotional visual story that engages the viewer and cracks open a window into my way of seeing.
