We recently connected with Wendee Yudis and have shared our conversation below.

Wendee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

As long as I can remember! My mother was an artist, so growing up my world was filled with culture and arts. I remember going to art school on Saturdays from a very young age all the way up until high school when I took classes at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. There was never a question in my mind that I wouldn’t pursue a creative path. Art is woven into the fabric of my being, it is an inseparable part of my identity and existence. It has shaped my perspective, and has always provided me with a profound sense of purpose and connection to the world.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Serigraph Mixed Media Artist whose work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums in NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia since the mid-1990’s.

Since I knew art was an integral part of who I was from a young age, I formally studied art as an undergraduate at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and received my graduate degree from Pratt Institute in New York, both in Printmaking and Painting. Living in New York City in my 20’s, I quickly discovered that making a living as an artist was going to be difficult, despite being chosen for numerous gallery exhibitions, I quickly enrolled in some continuing education courses in graphic design and launched my career in advertising to pay the bills, all the while creating art on the side. So for the last 30 years, I have worked in advertising agencies as a graphic designer and eventually as art director. I am currently an art director/web designer for Directv.

My career has greatly influenced my art and vise versa! I currently have a studio in Philadelphia where I make art using silkscreen and painting on wood panels as my primary mediums. Just like my graphic design work, all of my art begins on the computer, is manipulated on Photoshop and eventually gets transferred onto silkscreens through a photographic process. I then use the silkscreen as another tool, like a brush, to make marks that are unique to every piece, as I do not print in edition. I have honed my pop art style by combining painting and photographic silkscreens into art pieces that explore the definition of femininity, examine unconscious gender bias and question traditional women’s roles in the world as dictated by social constructs.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission is to turn the definition of femininity on its head!

As a woman, a mother and an artist, I want to make viewers aware of the daily unconscious gender bias we face and to question the female role in the world as dictated by social constructs: the ones imposed upon us – obedient child, wife, and daughter – and the ones we step into voluntarily – boss, lover, and vixen. Why are women still viewed though a male lens?

Womanhood cannot and should not be confined to one definition. Why do we have to be vixens or victims? Can we be both? My work explores the paradox of the powerful vs. the powerless in a manner that is both playful and sexual. The women in my work become icons who reoccur in different contexts and combinations layered in each piece with nuance. I explore the words we associate with masculinity and femininity as I play with typography and context. For example, why is a bossy man synonymous with executive leadership while a bossy woman is a bitch? We don’t even realize the bias we perpetuate with our word choices.

By exploring the many facets of women, I embrace the freedom and power within every woman.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

My passion and commitment to the creative process is rewarding on so many levels. Creating art serves as a cathartic experience, as it helps me to process and release emotions and is truly therapeutic and contributes to my emotional well-being.
The unspoken connection with others is incredible to witness. When my artwork touches someone emotionally or intellectually, it creates a profound connection between myself, as the artist, and the viewer. I love that art has the power to resonate with people on a deep and personal level.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wendeeyudis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendeeyudisartchick/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendee.yudis
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendeeyudis/
• Other: https://www.inliquid.org/artist/yudis-wendee