Ingrid V. Wells
Ingrid V. Wells' Bio
Ingrid V. Wells earned her MFA from San Francisco Art Institute and her BFA from Arizona State University. Her work fancies the fantastic and humorous in theme and the charming, the kitschy, and the celebrity in subject. Wells's paintings investigate the world of gendered consumerism and the ethics of fascination. Her work has been shown in the Bay Area, New York, Miami, and internationally in Japan, South Korea, and Israel. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Daily Mail, BUST Magazine, El País, Create! Magazine and Teen Vogue, among others. Wells is a professional development grant recipient from the Center for Cultural Innovation. She manages San Francisco Artists Studios, enjoys teaching advanced painting courses with SFAI's Public Education program, and runs TWIRL: A Decade of Artists Interviews. Wells currently lives and works in San Francisco.
Statement
In this recent series, Her Marbles, small oil paintings depict colorful and shiny spheres in various proximities to one another, amidst a creamy pale pink background. The series title alludes to the phrase “losing one’s marbles” and is meant as a reflection on the immediate crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy. Circles are psychologically proven to be the happiest shape and pale pink is known to be the most calming of colors. Engaging with these visual tools, I’ve adjusted my studio practice to respond directly to the current world-wide anxiety through oil painting.
The titles reference the music currently dominating pop culture. Lyrics of empowerment and positivity are linked with each painting, recognizing that during this time of social distancing music, art and technology are acting as instigators for connectivity and comfort. The titles are meant to bring joy, confidence, and humor to the viewer. Process videos for paintings in this series can be viewed on my TikTok account @ingridvwells. This body of work has been completed under a “shelter in place” mandate in San Francisco.
