Member Biography

ARTIST STATEMENT

"My artistic style is Contemporary Realism and it reflects my enthusiastic approach to life and art. I build layers of transparent colors and divide the saturated shapes with line. Some paintings require more than the conventional two-dimensional format. After the paint has dried, I start cutting and lifting my subjects into the third-dimension. Watercolor paper is durable enough to take paper sculpting techniques; such as folding, bending, and weaving the paper into low relief and the effects of light & shadow become an essential part of the painting.

I enjoy painting in a series, pushing reality’s envelop; one of my favorites is Koi. Over the centuries the Koi fish has been bred by the Japanese to refine their shapes and colors. They remind me of the Samurai warriors, covered in enameled leather armor and often wearing fierce masks to strike terror in to the enemy. I add gold ink and bright color to the scales of my koi, like the light gathering plates of armor worn by Japan’s ancient warriors. Koi fish are flexible and no two are alike, so I can place them in unexpected environments and morphing their shapes to achieve my imagery.

The choice of subject or content becomes a personal narrative on the world around me; often dealing with freedom and tangles of responsibility. The concept is my celebration of all Creation. A question often asked, “How long does one of your sculptured paintings take to complete?” I don’t track the hours, for time hardly exists when one is fulfilling a passion.”

ARTIST BACKGROUND

Willadene is a native of the Pacific Northwest and it has been her ambition to be an artist since early childhood. Before becoming a full-time artist, she worked in visual merchandising for two large department stores and a consultant for a Christian publishing company. In 1993, she began the journey of fulfilling the long time goal of fine art. Her decision was to give the plan three years, then evaluate its success. Willadene shared, “I got on board and the train hasn’t slowed down yet!” Watercolor became her chosen medium; meeting the challenge of mastering the unpredictable nature of a pigment suspended in water.

Her art is in numerous corporate and private collections around the world. She is an elected member of Women Painters of Washington, Signature Member of the Northwest Watercolor Society and represented by the Art Stall Gallery located in the historic Pike Place Market, Seattle.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2006 (also 1999-2005)

• Women Painters of Washington
  

2005 (also 1994-2003)

• Kent Canterbury Faire Art Exhibit

2005 (also 1995, 97, 98, 02)

• Northwest Watercolor Society

2003-1994

• Renton Annual Fine Art Show, Renton, WA

2002 (also 1996-1997)

• City of SeaTac
  

2002 (also 1997-2001)

• Seahurst Gallery, Burien, WA
  

2002 (also 1997-1998)

• Eastside Association of Fine Arts

1999

• Kuwait Millennium Exhibit
  

1999-1997

• Renton Creative Arts

1998-1996

• Western Washington Annual Art Show

1998-1997

• City of Tukwila Art Show

1996-1995

• Pacific Gallery Artists' Exhibit

AWARDS

2005 MIVAL Memorial Award, Northwest Watercolor Society
2003 City of Kent Commissioned Art Award
2002 Juror's Award, Renton Annual Fine Art Show
2002 RAAS Purchase Prise, Renton Annual Fine Art Show
2002 Dan Smith Award, Women Painters of Washington
2002 Best in Show, Abstract, Women Painters of Washington
2001, 1999, 1994 City of Kent Purchase Award, Cantebury Faire
2003, 2001 Artistic Merit Award, Renton Art in the Park
2000 First Place, Renton Art in the Park
2000, 1998 Burien Theater Artistic Merit, Seahurst Annual Open Show
1998 MIVAL Memorial Award, Northwest Watercolor Society
1998 Western Washington Annual Art Show

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Exhibit Juror
2005 Sidney Museum, Port Orchard
2003, 2001 Kent Canterbury Fiare
2003 Renton Annual Art Exhibit
2000 Covington Annual Art Show

Demonstration & Workshop Speaker
2006 Sequim Arts "Sketching Walkabouts" & "Sculptured Paper"
2005 NW Collage Society "Sculptured Paper Art"
2006, 2005 Daniel Smith Art Workshop "Sketching Walkabouts"
2004 WPW & Seattle Co-Arts
2003 Artists United
2002-2001 Bellevue Art Museum
2000 Pacific Gallery Arts Association, Burien Arts Guild, Northwest Watercolor Society, Eastside Fine Arts Association

Public Art
2003 City of Kent Commissioned Poster for Canterbury Fair
2001 "Pigs on Parade: Seattle Pike Place Market Event
2000 Art Design for Winter Menu, Northwest Airlines

Instructor
2006-1997 Green River Community College, Auburn

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