Wilder Schmaltz

Paintings

Opening June 3. 6-8PM

Wilder is a native Oregonian, born in Portland, and his work often portrays anonymous people from earlier decades. Outdated notions of mutable concepts are a focus in his work such as clean living, delinquent or dangerous behavior, good citizenship and masculinity/femininity.

“Beginning a new 'black drawing' involves much exploration. Starting with a void-like surface, I take on the task to tease out elements; it feels at times less like drawing or painting than holding a light to my subjects, already in there somewhere, and bringing them out of the dark,” explains Schmaltz.Wilder holds a BFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art and is co-founder of Flight 64 Press, a nonprofit printmaking studio.  His illustrations have appeared in places like Grantland Quarterly, The Portland Mercury, on bottles of liquor and the front of books and albums.

Artist Statement PDF