"Soul Artifacts"

Royse Contemporary is thrilled to present the much anticipated solo exhibition ‘Soul Artifacts’ from Casey Wakefield. This exhibition will showcase Wakefield’s latest collection of mixed media abstract paintings. The essence of the artist's work and this new collection is to “capture the intangible remnants of emotions, thoughts, and experiences, translating them onto canvas as interconnected and layered planes of expression. Her work offers a truly contemplative and organic transformation of colors, drips, and marks captured in abstract form on canvas, that elicits and creates an emotional connection for someone.

 

Wakefield goes on to say that, “these artifacts serve as tangible evidence of the complex web of interactions and influences that exist beyond what meets the eye, allowing us to explore and appreciate the intricate connections and depths of our collective experiences.” The artist's evocative use of color engages the viewers senses, creating compositions of color, some predictable and others unpredictable, with layers of acrylic ink, collage, acrylic paint, finished with oil paint. When asked about her art and creative process she explains, "I find that the joy of painting is to watch the abstract emerge into something that evolves from the process and in the end creates an emotional connection for the viewer."


 

Wakefield was raised in a small midwestern town in central Illinois, she would go on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Illinois State University. She obtained her Master of Arts in Elementary Education from University of Phoenix. Wakefield would go on to study painting at the Milan Art Institute, where she discovered her passion for color and letting the process of painting determine the outcome in abstract form. She is currently represented by Royse Contemporary in Scottsdale. Her work has been featured in both national and international publications including House and Garden, Phoenix Home and Garden magazine, and Scottsdale Independent, just to name a few.

“Each of the pieces in this exhibition contains energy within it and some of that energy is felt or seen in the colors or the imagery itself,” declares Ray. He goes on to explain that “whatever frequencies emanate from the piece is also on behalf of the viewer, who take whatever resonates with them whether it be an emotion, a memory, or humor, the response is up to them.”

 

The artist has created a series of “Hearts”, where he looks at the center of who and what we are, believing there is good in our inner being. These hearts were inspired a little by discussions about heart health with others and how we should be grateful for our health. He has continued to explore his “Angels” series, seeing them as “Healers” and that is why they are with us, reassuring us that it’s going to be okay.

 

Joe Ray is a visual artist as well as a creative director, illustrator, writer and storyteller living in Scottsdale. He was born in San Luis, R.C., Sonora, Mexico and grew up in western Arizona on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Reservation in Poston Arizona. His work reflects a colorful bi-cultural perspective formed by the Arizona and Mexico regions, as well as the people living in this area. His work has been in a variety of exhibits and publications throughout the U.S. and Mexico. 

"Frequencies" exhibition will be on display from February 8th through March 10, 2024 at Royse Contemporary. We will host a special Opening Reception on Thursday, February 8th from 6:00pm until 9:00pm. Patrons will have the opportunity to meet the featured artist, enjoy wine, treats, as well as experience the weekly Scottsdale ArtWalk in Old Town Scottsdale.