Winky Wheeler
Winky began drawing before she was two and hasn’t stopped yet! When she was in the sixth grade her class was asked what they thought they would be in the year 2000. Her first thought was that she would be a very, very old artist. Since that time Winky graduated, cum laude, from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Her studies included illustration, graphic design & production, communication arts & advertising.
Winky’s work starts in her sketchbook, loosely creating forms that begin to suggest a figure. As the character emerges, she refines the shape and adds specific details. She is always looking to incorporate whimsical aspects into the drawing. Winky works with the composition over time until she likes the drawing. Once satisfied with the pencil sketch, she redraws it with a technical pen on watercolor paper. She adds carefully applied colors in many individual layers, transforming the original black and white image into a finished piece of artwork.
Although Winky’s work comes from imagination, much time is spent drawing realistically from life. This allows a blend of reality, inspiration and memories in her art. Her images are intended to bring together the richness of nature in a fun way. Winky hopes her work will encourage people to see things a little differently and inspire change, so that the beauty of our world will be here to nurture future generations.