12x12 Artist: Dean Wyatt

In order to get prepared for the 12x12 Art Show and Sale September 26, I interviewed a few of the artists to find out a little more about their pieces and to delve into the mind of a 12x12 artist. I wanted to find out how these artists conceived of their 12x12 pieces and if the size limitation affected their concept or process. Here is what they had to say…

Dean Wyatt:
Wyatt, a 12x12 artists from Owasso, starts each of his pieces with a blank, black slate. For this piece, The Clouds were Stained Red, Wyatt primed the wood with black gesso before adding modeling paste to give the surface some texture. Not wanting the textured area to dictate the composition, Wyatt added an addition layer of black paint over the surface before he began painting. Wyatt then the applied several thin layers of glaze to the surface, building up the depth of the piece while allowing the textured areas to hold on to little bits of color. Wyatt found the size constraints of the 12x12 event to be challenging on account of his use of broad, sweeping brushstrokes. In the past, Wyatt has changed his painting styles in order to accommodate to the size limitations but this year he was determined to conjoin his characteristic style with the small scale of the 12x12 show.

By guest blogger: Katie Seefeldt, Art Focus Oklahoma intern
See a preview of most of the 12x12 Artwork here.