Artist Berkley Wooten’s creations are dynamic—full of movement and layers that she renders using palette knives, brushes, tools, and even her fingers to scratch and manipulate the wood panels — “because paintings are nothing if not alive,” she says.
Berkley, who paints primarily with acrylic and ink, graduated from the University of North Carolina. Today, she serves as a board member on the Alamance Arts Council. She says she can’t remember a time when art wasn’t a part of her life, but it wasn’t until her early years of motherhood that she started to pursue it more intensely.
“I felt like I lost my spark and creativity in young motherhood… Like many moms of young kids, I neglected myself for what I saw as sacrificing for my kids. Now I realize that what my kids need to see is a mom who does things that make her come alive. Motherhood plus doing whatever else you love may not look the way you envisioned, but it can co-exist.”
Here, artist Berkley Wooten shares more of the journey that has led her to being a featured artist at the acclaimed Shain Gallery in Charlotte, plus what’s next.
What sparks your creativity, and what inspires you to continue pursuing art in your career?
When I was initially coming back to painting after my hiatus, I read “The Artist’s Way” as a means to jumpstart my creative block. Since then, seeking awe helps me feel connected to my creative source and see things with fresh eyes.
What is your artistic process like?
Right now, painting is in the margins of my life. It happens during toddler naptime or at night after the kids have gone to bed. It’s a brief studio session punctuated by one child needing a snack or the other waking up. They often ask me: “mama, can I paint, too?” So, I’ll set them up beside me on the floor in what inevitably turns into a finger or body-painting session. I often wish I had more uninterrupted time. I know that will come, though, and that I’ll miss this chaotic hustle.
Tell us about your collaboration with Shain, and how and when you became a featured artist there.
As motivation to dust off my brushes and get back to painting, I applied to Shain’s Emerging Artist show in spring 2023. I was hoping that, if I got accepted, it would be an impetus to paint more. Well, I got an email from Shain saying that they didn’t just want me in that show, but that they wanted me as a gallery artist! They asked for a collection of seven pieces to introduce me. When they released those paintings, all sold within a day. That felt like a surreal welcome back to the art world.
How does painting make you feel? What do you wish your work made others feel?
I hope my paintings inspire the joy, whimsy, and hope that I feel while painting them.
My floral still life series was inspired by my mom’s backyard. It’s like it’s out of a storybook; plants, vases, and objects layered to be unexpected and intriguing. It’s a feast for the eyes. My mom sees beauty and value in a simple stunning bloom, and she considers time spent puttering in the yard as worthwhile. It’s the same way with my paintings. I consider them and their subject matter as Southern classic style with a twist: the blue-and-white vases of my childhood home re-imagined in a funkier, looser way.
Where do you see yourself and your work in the future?
Right now I feel like I’m riding a fun wave. The best part about art is that there’s always more to explore in terms of subjects, compositions, etc.. So, I feel like I’m just scratching the surface. I see myself as honing my style and palette in coming out with fun new collections.
