We recently connected with Bex Wilkinson and have shared our conversation below.

Bex, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I just finished a series of paintings this year titled “American Cheese.” I have found myself so very frustrated with the political circus that is happening in the USA under the Trump Administration that I wanted to create a series of paintings that would reflect my angst.

This nine panel series was created with “Americana” imagery in mind- specifically black velvet paintings of iconic American symbols. I wanted to create a feeling of superficiality that covers the obvious darkness that permeates our culture. I chose “Killers, Clowns and Stars” to represent America’s fascination with cult figures and fame. Featured in the series are serial killers and a nod to our obsession with true crime. Also clowns- which I find very frightening but are a staple of American carnivals- and the strangeness of this phenomenon. Jesus Christ has also been featured in some of the paintings in a Zombie-like fashion; a representation of how sacred religious figures can be altered to fit modern day rhetoric.

“American Cheese: Killers, Clowns and Stars” has been completed and will be on view at my studio with an open house June 13th or by appointment.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I returned to painting after a 25 year hiatus to bring up my children. After the unfortunate suicide of my second spouse, I found myself unable to function in “normal” day society, and ended up returning to painting after a quarter decade break. It was and continues to be my solace amongst a crazy world. Mostly my imagery reflects upon the shadows and underbelly of American Culture: more specifically issues pertaining to the environmental deterioration, violations of women’s rights and civil upheaval. I have personally painted and drawn several “dead birds” that refer to the diminishment of bird speices due to the impact of climate and the encroachment of civilization on their natural habitats.

Painting initially for 5 years on my own after Celabs death, I started to apply to galleries around the world realizing that if I were to paint, I cannot be in a capsule. I needed to put my art into the world. Since then I have shown both nationally and internationally. Galleries in Chicago, Miami and New York have featured my work. My first solo show was on the Bowery in New York City in 2024. Internationally I have shown in Lisbon, Madrid, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Stockholm. Many of these galleries I traveled to, I even braved flying to Lisbon and Vienna in the middle of the world pandemic!

I paint from my heart; some would say I am an Expressionist painter, and I would not deny that. However, I did grow up in Chicago, Illinois and I was greatly influenced by movements that occurred there- such as “The Harry Who.” The most influential painter in my life is Pincas Burstein “Maryann” who was a holocaust survival and not well known. Several collectors in Chicago, my home town, bought his work- including my parents. After him is the emotional “feminist” artist Frida Khalo.

My own work is motivated solely by what I feel is in my subconscious. Often I feel that the work I do reflects on the Collective Unconscious- as deemed by Carl Jung. There are symbols and fears that lurk beyond the surface of our normal day lives. These are the elements I draw upon in my work.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Being an artist can be an isolating journey- it is the reason I originally gave up painting. I found at age 25 that I did not want my art to become my work. I had studied as an adjunct student at the Rhode Island School of Design and The Art Institute in Chicago. Back then (I am now 60 years old,) there were few social outlets for creatives- other than to live amongst friends and peers, which I did. However, I felt very alone in my pursuit as an artist.

However, returning to it after 25 years there are new avenues to keep creatives connected- such as social media, cell phones, even computers (which were just being made when I quite painting at age 25!) I use these tools to connect with other artists, creatives and collectors. There is a world of opportunity through technology which has emerged since I originally started painting.

That being said, I have found that it is essential to connect with other artists in real time and I have found artistic communities in nearby cities or my own which whom to connect. Boise, Idaho, offers a metropolitan atmosphere where I have found resident communities and museums. In my own community, I am involved with our local art museum and have shown several times with an artist tour that exists. It allows me to touch base with a broader creative ecosystem because being a painter, in particular, is a solo journey and can be quite lonely at times.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

There are many things I had to unlearn coming around to being an artist later in my life. Mostly, art is not a competition. I have the good fortune at this time in my life, not to have to earn a living from my work. When I was younger, there was a competitive air about making art; that I had to be “better” or more productive than my peers. That entire notion has been removed, because at this age, I am making art because I want to – not because I have to…
Don’t get me wrong, it is STILL very difficult to get representation and there is always an air of “pick ME!” when applying to galleries, art shows, fellowships, residencies. I have applied to many and been rejected several times. It always hurts on a certain level to be rejected: but then I have to remind myself that I am not doing this for anyone’s approval. And that also, not everyone, in fact very FEW people will understand my work – and that that is OK!

I am not painting for the immediate gratification of acceptance or fame or anything- I am painting because I HAVE to for my mental well-being. Plus, I enjoy it! So the difference between the 25 year old me, and now the 60 year old me, is that I am not that worried if my work will be appreciated. I have a few collectors who “get” what I’m doing to know that it is appreciated by some, and that’s all I need. One cannot create art in a vacuum and so it is important to get feed back, but it is not important to rely on whether there is approval or not.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bexwilkinson.com
• Instagram: @Bex_Wilkinson_Art
• Facebook: Bex Wilkinson Art
• Other: I just recently deleted my Linkeden page- I found I wasn’t using it.

Image Credits

Photographs Kai Ivine