Wanda Lock
I don’t usually write an artist statement until some time has passed after creating the work. It’s a bit of a can’t see the forest for the trees situation.
And when it comes to works on paper, like the series presented in The Edit 2026, well, the road to a fully formed thought or idea about what is being produced isn’t even on the map yet.
I draw almost every day. What I draw has no real starting point. It’s just a way of flushing something out, although what that something is, I’m not really sure.
What I do know about these pieces is this:
A caribou has a massive body that sits above four impossibly thin legs.
Roadkill saddens me.
Bystanders and observers are often misunderstood.
The smell of something decaying, hidden around the corner on my road, is unsettling.
Seeing Agnes Martin’s work at the Tate Modern in 2015 still lives with me.
Ann Patchett’s book, Whistler.
Retro Boney M videos, especially Bobby Farrell’s dance moves.
These drawings will sit with me in the studio over the winter. They may or may not find their way into future paintings. It’s too soon to know. For now, they hold space. Without this process, I am unable to move on to the next step, whatever that may be.
Wanda Lock's artistic journey began to take shape in her early years. In 1987, she enrolled in the Fine Arts Diploma program at Okanagan College, where she honed her technical skills and laid the foundation for her artistic pursuits. After completing two years at Okanagan College, Lock transferred to Emily Carr College of Art & Design. In 1992, she graduated from Emily Carr with a studio major in painting and a solid artistic foundation.
Lock's artistic practice primarily centres around painting but extends to mediums such as drawing, collage, and installation. She weaves together themes of domesticity, nostalgia, and banality, inviting viewers to reflect upon the ordinary aspects of everyday life. Lock explores the emotions and memories tied to domestic spaces through her works, unraveling the complexities of personal histories and human connections.
In addition to her artistic endeavours, Lock has been an active curator, contributing to the art community. From 2015 to 2025, she has held the position of curator at the Lake Country Art Gallery, where she has curated exhibitions that showcase the works of emerging and established artists. Her curatorial practice allows her to engage with diverse artistic expressions and create meaningful connections between artists, artworks, and viewers.
Her work belongs to various public art collections, including the Kelowna Art Gallery, Penticton Art Gallery, Headbones Art Gallery, and the Vernon Public Art Gallery. In 2022, Lock was commissioned by the Kelowna Art Gallery to create a site-specific installation at the Kelowna International Airport entitled Kate & Molly, as well as Flying Machines and Poems for Strangers, 2013. In 2016, she collaborated with artist Rena Warren on Escape Artists, a site-specific installation at the Kelowna Art Gallery's Rotary Courtyard, as part of the Artist's Garden Project series. Wanda Lock is represented by Elevation Gallery in Canmore, Alberta.