Tinted vision

Painter blends art, commentary

December 30, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Some people probably think all 35-year-old Chris Wakefield does is sit around and paint pretty pictures of sea otters, polar bears and kitty cats, while his wife tirelessly looks after their four little girls.

It's true, Wakefield's clothes and tennis shoes are splattered in paint and he does spend an awful lot of time painting animals and other strange characters, but that's his full-time job. And besides, behind all those colorful layers and bizarre images, deeper messages await keen observers.

Hidden messages

Whether walruses, hound dogs or Captain America portraits, the paintings are infused with commentary about everything from modern society and its fixation with consumerism, pop culture and sexuality to spiritual truths, family loyalties and basic human rights.

&#8220Some people just see what's on the canvas, they don't see the story, and they think all I do is paint pretty pictures in primary colors,” Wakefield explained Thursday during an interview in his studio just off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. &#8220There is an underlying joke to what I do - an underlying commentary on society - but a lot of people will look at my work and just see a pretty otter. They just don't get it.”

Staying authentic

Wakefield owns Wakefield Gallery, which he opened this past summer to promote and sell both his own art and works from other local artists.

It's not an easy job, though, painting authentically from the heart, while still creating art that tourists and others will snatch up to hang on their walls or give away as gifts. In order to feed his family and pay the bills, Wakefield walks a fine line between meeting public demand and staying true to his tradition. So far, he's been able to strike a balance and, for the last five years, has done nothing but paint for a living.

&#8220Sometimes I have to twist my art to meet the needs of the public without destroying who I am,” Wakefield explained. &#8220I just did a painting of a cat. People go ‘what the hell are you saying?' Why

would I do a very huge close-up of a cat? If all you see is a cat, then OK, you see a cat. If you ask me what that is really about, maybe I'll tell you, but maybe I won't ever tell anyone. For an artist, that's part of the joy, holding back a little.”

Wakefield's style combines images of Alaska wildlife with popular culture in bold colors that are meant to challenge viewers.

&#8220I've always painted really crazy, really colorful,” he said. &#8220I've never been a big fan of muted colors because life at times can be very muted, and it's just not in me. I always want to add red or pink or blue to take things that look normal and twist the colors to extreme points.”

Wakefield considers himself fortunate to have a job where he arrives for work, stands before a blank canvas and lets his imagination find expression. It wasn't always so good. After years toiling away as a commercial fisherman, welder, construction worker and a host of other odd jobs, Wakefield finally took the plunge into the art world about five years ago.

&#8220I tried to do other things, but it always felt extremely self-loathing,” he said. &#8220So art came out of that.”

Being a full-time artist and depending on the finicky buying habits of the general public has its downsides though.

&#8220I'm still a starving artist,” Wakefield said. &#8220I've been in debt so long, and there are times when we still have to make the decision between buying groceries or making the car payment. I think that's why a lot of artists quit. It's hard to be an artist and a bread winner.”

Wakefield sells his art throughout the state at various galleries in Southeast, the Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral. He tirelessly promotes his art and will show it just about anywhere.

&#8220I'll show in galleries, coffee shops. I'll even show in bathrooms,” he said. &#8220I don't care, because my job is to show my work and to get it out there. If it sits in here and people never see it, they'll never buy it.”

Finding artistic space

Wakefield said it is disheartening at times to see so much excitement about the latest rap album or Hollywood movie and yet so little attention paid to art work in modern culture. Ultimately, though, he sees the tide changing. In a world saturated with sound bites, mass-marketed goods and virtual realities he thinks people are re-awakening to artistic sensibilities.

&#8220Art is important now, but I think it will become even more important in the future,” Wakefield explained. &#8220When something is made by a real individual, a real craft, something that someone gave their life to, that's more tangible than anything that is made in mass quantities by slave labor in Indonesia. This Wal-Mart mentality is going to die out at some time, and I think there will be a renaissance in real art.”

As for his own work, here and now, Wakefield hopes his paintings will keep paying the bills and also make his family proud.

&#8220I think what I really want is for my daughters, my future grandkids, my wife to be proud of me. That's the best case scenario,” he said. &#8220I hope my daughters will be able to say ‘my dad's an artist,' and people will go ‘oh yeah, I knew your dad's stuff.' I just hope history is gentle on me.”

For more information about Wakefield Gallery, people can log on to www.wakefield arts.com.

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266 or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.