Pamela Callahan

The Sky is Filled with Birds
oil on canvas
37 x 35 in.

My paintings are studies in human nature—our tendencies, struggles and attempts at peace. They are an ever-growing family of shape-shifters—people and creatures—all reflecting human foibles, fears and joys. Birds appear often in my work. Winged or not, they guide me towards an unnamable sense of hope.

With deep respect for the subconscious—and for how much can be learned from its intricacies and wonders—I work intuitively and let emotion guide my markings. Part of the process is getting lost in it, and then finding my way back through a forest of emotion and layers of paint. My work is very much about the journey, and about embracing what lies underneath (the paint, our lives)…

I use a myriad of materials in addition to oil paint. They include: wax and alkyd mediums, charcoal, pastels and numerous drawing media on canvas, linen, wood and paper.

Pamela Callahan was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and received a B.A. in Studio Art from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. For fourteen years, Pamela lived and worked in Chicago, returning to Wisconsin in 2004. She was Woman Made Gallery’s Associate Director through 2002, and currently serves on the WMG Advisory Board.

For more information visit: www.pamelacallahan.womanmade.net

© Pamela Callahan