Sharron Haley/Clarendon Citizen - Wade Edwards, 42, was an eighth grader when he chose a deer as the subject for his first painting. That deer head painting is now on display in the art gallery at Weldon Auditorium.
Local artist displays at Weldon
Painting comes naturally for 42-year-old Wade Edwards.
As a toddler, Edwards could be found finger painting on the walls of his home using household items as paint, including fiery red ketchup and the stark white of toothpaste.
His first canvas painting came at the age of 13 when he was in the 8th grade.
“I don’t know why I chose a deer,” Edwards said standing amid his artwork in the art gallery at Weldon Auditorium.
Not far from where the deer painting is hung is a painting of two ducks.
“I bought and raised them,” Edwards said. “I used them in a couple of paintings.”
In the duck painting, Edwards pointed out balance in both color and scale.
“You really don’t realize it until someone points it out,” he said. “But, the right and the left sides are balanced as well the color and contrast with the duck’s beak and the building in the background.”
Toward the back of the art gallery hangs a nine-foot piece of driftwood that Edwards found on the shores of Lake Marion that he used as a canvas for an underwater scene.
“It took me about 220 hours to paint it,” he added. “That doesn’t include the amount of time I spent preparing the wood for painting.”
Near the driftwood artwork, Edwards has a display of sun-catchers that he calls “window worlds.”
Edwards uses layers of glass, botanicals, real seaweed and shards of broken glass that he paints and puts back together sandwiched between the layers of glass.
“Light shines through them and brings out hidden images,” he said. “As the sun moves, the images look like they move. It’s not a stagnant piece. It looks like its in motion.”
Edwards doesn’t like to sit still. He says he’s constantly in motion and that comes through in some of his artwork.
“I like to go to new places to paint,” he said. “I get new ideas and new inspiration from new surroundings.”
Edwards’ works in a variety of mediums including oils, acrylics, watercolors and mixed mediums. While he paints mostly on canvas, Edwards said he also loves to paint murals.
He has several lamps on display in his art exhibit at the Weldon Art Corridor.
The base of one lamp is a piece of driftwood while another of his lamps features a myriad of colors.
For most of his pieces, Edwards starts with pencil drawings from a variety of angles.
“I draw them different ways and then determine which looks best,” he said. “I look for balance and what works best for that particular piece.”
At the present time, Edwards is working in three-dimensional designs. His lamps and some of his multi-medium pieces are examples of his latest work.
While Edwards typically paints from his prospective, he does welcome commissioned pieces where he paints what the customer wants.
He also has some of his current and past art pieces in private showings.
“I lend my pieces to someone to show in their home,” he said. “They’ll have parties or shows where they’ll showcase the art pieces and sometimes someone buys a piece or two.”
For more than 15 years, Edwards owned and operated a framing business.
“It was pretty demanding,” he said.
With an eye for framing, Edwards said he knows what frame will look best on his pieces and doesn’t depend on others to help him select the frame.
“It doesn’t take up all my time anymore,” he said. “Now, I get to paint and work on my projects more.”
The art gallery at Weldon Auditorium will showcase Edwards’ artwork through the middle of February.
For more information on Edwards, you can email him at wadeedwards2@gmail.com.
