why am I passionate about art?
because art gives me purpose and direction
because it is a dance with memory, a carving into time
because art has the power to heal me when I am broken, and gives me the strength to offer beauty to others
because art brings people together
because there are no rules except the ones you make
portrait by JoAnne Becker|instagram@studio3lynchburg
because art does not have to be pretty or virtuosic or revolutionary, it does not have to be seen to matter, it can be just for me, just for spirit
and because the possibilities are infinite
William Locke Wheeler is a performative artist, arts educator, facilitator and organizer in the arts
I call myself a “performative artist” not only because I make multimedia performances, but also because when I make my drawings, paintings and installations, I am enacting something: casting a magic spell. For me, “magic” means illusions, signs, embodiments, empathy, care, spirit, ancestors, angels, ecstasy, community, justice. I try to channel the immersive and transformative power of these aspects of magic in my work.
