ARTIST STATEMENT
I see the overuse of binaries as the source of much injustice in our society today. Employed as a worldview, it authorizes the placement of people as well as nature into the category of Other — enabling the treatment of “outsiders” with less respect than those from our in-group. In my work, I challenge this model, striving to find unity in seemingly divergent poles and using imagery from nature as my inspiration.
I employ abstraction with both subversive and illustrative intent. By emphasizing abstraction as a continuum, I reject dualistic paradigms. The multiple styles I use represent various points along this spectrum, ranging from realistic drawings to stylized patterns, ending finally in geometric shapes.
I harmonize multiple visual elements and styles to undermine hegemony. Drips, watermarks, and other chance-driven effects underlie controlled line drawings. Light-hearted comic book shapes balance with “scientific” symbols. No single style or point of view dominates.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Gail Wagner has explored a variety of media over the years while maintaining a consistent interest in the natural world. She is currently working in acrylic paintings that combine abstraction and realism. Her paintings have been displayed in multiple states across the United States, including California, New York, Illinois, Missouri, Wyoming, and Colorado. In 2025, she completed an artist residency at La Maison de Beaumont in the south of France. Gail Wagner has both a Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the California Institute of Technology.
© Gail Wagner