Theodore Waddell | Natural Rhythms : Artist Reception Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Like the land itself, Theodore Waddell’s paintings change with prolonged exposure. New elements emerge. Layers of meaning accumulate. 

 

“I want my work to constantly change, with the hope that it will be different each time I see it as well as for others who view it.”  

 

A sense of place inspires his paintings and thus the titles he assigns to each scene are pertinent. A bison herd takes on historical resonance when placed within the man-made setting of Clark Canyon in Montana. 

 

“I try to translate the narratives of land, seasons, mortality, grandeur, and human/animal interdependence into our own context. I concentrate on the vagaries of colors and times, attempting to understand and capture what I see.”

 

Such concentration requires surrendering plan to process, allowing his heart and hand to work in harmony. 

 

“I prefer work that is open-ended and doesn't attempt to lead me in a certain way and determine all of the conclusions.”

 

As a Montana native and cattle rancher, Waddell migrated east to study painting at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and Wayne State University before returning to the western plains. Influenced by Abstract Expressionists, he layers his landscapes with atmospheric modernism, focusing on scenes informed by his experience, free of idealism. 

 

“Since the beginning of my career, I have sought a vision of the West that elevates itself above the status of cowboy art. I hope to convey this vision in a way that draws the viewer into my world.”