Step into the journeys of artist Elaine Wheeler, when you visit the Strathmore Municipal Library this month. Wheeler is completely self-taught and her show at the library is the first time she has ever exhibited. 

Wheeler was born and raised in South Africa and she acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and English Education at the University of the Orange Free State in 1992, before moving to Strathmore in 1994. She resides in the Wheatland County region with her husband Scott and they have two children.

Wheeler explained that the theme to her display is ‘In pursuit of beauty,’ she said, “I am a self-taught artist and this is my very first art exhibit, which is really exciting.”

“It is amazing how, when one ventures into this arena, one sees everything with fresh eyes.  The sky is no longer blue and the grass green. It is so much more,” she said.

Right now the public reaction to her display has been very positive.

“The pieces I have on display, are part of my journey into the visual arts. There is no real unifying style, theme or colour. I am sharing some of what was created in this discovery phase,” she says.

“I started painting with acrylics and later ventured into oils as well, which I believe I’ll do more of in the future. I have found that each of these mediums have their own set of strengths.”

In terms of the enjoyment she receives from creating art Wheeler says, “The fun for me, in creating art, is that I decide how a piece gets to ‘live’ - whether it is blue or gray, whether large or small, naive or realistic, close-up or far away. I say when it is done. I really am in the driver’s seat. After that, it is up for critique.” “I am glad for this platform offered by our local library, and I want to thank Carmen Erison, who is in charge of the monthly art displays at the library, for her help and support. Also, thank you to my husband, Scott. He helped arrange and hang my art and also did the framing on some of my pieces,” said Wheeler. If you can’t make it down to see Wheeler’s art in person yet, you can view some of her pieces through a video created by staff from the library, here.