"Where River Meets Sea" (Wendell Wiggins)

In spite of the mixed reputation that MySpace has earned in the social media space, I have had the opportunity to connect with some wonderful artists and musicians through that very medium. For example, if I had not posted my music on MySpace, I might not have had the pleasure of meeting Wendell Wiggins, who discovered my music there and contacted me several months ago. This past Saturday night, I dropped by the opening night of an exhibit where his artwork is being displayed in Los Angeles. I was intrigued by the title of one of his pieces, “Where River Meets Sea.” In this post, I am sharing with you the image of this painting and Wendell’s perspective.

Q: What is it about dance that inspires you to try to “capture” it in so many of your paintings?
Wendell: I’ve always loved the art of dance in all of its forms. I especially enjoy the ritual and ceremonial dances of different cultures and societies. Usually dance is performed in partnership with music. Together they have the ability to bring us together with a depth of bonding that cannot be achieved with words alone. The effect of this partnership often evokes a sense of euphoria, transcendence and spirituality. As a Visual Artist and Fine Arts painter I’ve always been intrigued by this marriage of sound and movement. Since it is not possible to recreate music with paint, I seek to capture it visually using line, color and composition to simulate the rhythmic energy and drama of dance.

Q. How do the “River” and “Sea” come together in your painting entitled “Where River Meets Sea”?
Wendell: My painting titled “Where River Meets Sea” was first conceived when I traveled to Brazil to attend the Carnaval festivities. During several Afro-Brazilian religious celebrations on the beaches of Salvador, Bahia, I watched as groups of women dressed in blue and white to represent Yemanja, the Goddess of Sea, danced and gave offerings of flowers to the Ocean. Also in attendance were women dressed in yellow and gold to honor the Goddess of Love and Fresh Water (known as Oxun). This scene of hundreds of women in spinning colorful dresses, dancing and chanting to the rhythmic sounds of drummers, created a mesmerizing image. My painting attempts to capture the atmosphere and energy I felt, watching this intoxicating colorful swirling mix of white, blue and yellow motion.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to share about this painting and your relationship to it?
Wendell: I have always enjoyed the spiritual aspects of dance and the beauty of music. I find that they are often direct links to achieving a heightened sense of inner peace and joy. One of my artistic goals has been to find a way to translate these emotions into my paintings. Creating sensations of optimism, energy & movement through color and texture, combined with images of spirituality, nature, dance & music have been my primary motivation as a visual artist. I strive to transmit a sense of euphoria by pushing my subject matter beyond the obvious imagery to create works that not only moves the viewer visually, but emotionally as well.

Q. Where is it on display and for how long?
Wendell: Currently it – and several other paintings of mine – are on display and on sale at The Loft at Liz’s at 453 S. La Brea Ave in Los Angeles, north of Wilshire Blvd. until December 15th, 2008. Also an Opening reception for ‘An Artisan Holiday’ will take place on Saturday, December 6th from 7-11pm. Both shows will be featured in The Loft at Liz’s during the month of December.