WINDOWSPACE-BEEAC: April 2018

Yellow composition 1 (detail 2018)

Wheeler started painting in the 1970s with a strong interest, but very little tuition; in the early years was influenced by the Impressionist and Modernists, and most of the C20th art movements. As an amateur painter Viv received over 60 awards. and is also represented in numerous City Council, Shire and corporate collections in Australia and USA.

After her beginning as a mainly self-taught artist Viv went on to study and gain a Bachelor of Arts (Visual - Painting) Degree, turning more towards abstract subject matter.

Some many years later Wheeler states “my main interests are still colour, texture, simplification and effects of light – most of my work is fairly strong and I love the interaction of juxtaposed colours”.

‘Yellow composition 1’ (2018) is an example of Wheeler’s simplicity, strong brush strokes, colour and glimpses of collage. This collage and acrylic on canvas “carries well over a distance”, it can be seen clearly from across the road or when driving by and a close-up view the marks of old work and newspaper underneath can be seen. Newspaper with brush strokes on the curved wall in the window is a material of choice and is often seen in Wheeler’s latest work.

Vivienne tends to create a history through her work utilizing collage and found objects and building up the paint surface from below. Some pieces Vivienne will complete very quick with a clear, practical matter of fact approach while sometimes the work will go through many transitions – Yellow composition 1 is one such piece.