MaryLou Wakefield

I am a contemporary abstract artist working in paint, mixed media and print making. I’m drawn to express what lies beyond words, beyond what’s visible. I love to create work in layers - marks, colour, and texture derived from gestural writing. Landscape, architecture and contemporary design stir my curiosity.

I grew up a free-range kid in the wilds of North Vancouver and the wider west coast landscape and have been making some form of art since I could hold a pencil. I moved to Vancouver Island in the early 80s and worked professionally as a writer/editor for 30 years crafting stories for business. My abstract paintings embed a visual language that also tells a story. I’ve taught calligraphy and mark making with handmade brushes for local arts organizations and at the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts (MISSA) on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Today, I work from my home studio on Vancouver Island, adjacent to the Salish Sea. I have participated in art residencies in Victoria, the Gulf Islands, Mexico City and was Artist in Residence at Tidal Art Centre, in Lund B.C. in May, 2025. My paintings and prints have been exhibited in galleries in Victoria, Metchosin, Vancouver, Lund and New York. My works are held in private collections around the world.