GLEN WALLIS
FLEETING
May 16 - June 1, 2025
Opening Reception: Saturday May 17, 1-4pm
Glen enjoys experimenting with different materials and processes whenever he gets the chance. Mixed Media holds a natural attraction for him as a result. Exposed to encaustic painting through his wife Susan Wallis wax is often incorporated into the work. Glen was born in Montreal and moved to Vancouver as an adolescent. He went on to graduate from the University of British Columbia with a diploma in Art History along with a degree in sociology.
Inspired by the traditional process of quilt-making, Wallis creates grid-like paintings using encaustic as a collage medium, embedding found objects from the environment into his work.
A multidisciplinary artist, Glen Wallis has always enjoyed sewing and has his maternal grandmother’s Bernina sewing machine — a cherished heirloom that symbolizes his deep-rooted affection for this craft. The idea for his “Quilt” series was born from this love of textiles and handcraft, translating the comforting structure of quilts into a visual, painterly language.
Glen first experimented with encaustic painting more than 20 years ago during a week-long class at the Haliburton School of the Arts. During a break from the class, he went out for a walk and stumbled upon a dead butterfly. Struck by its delicate beauty, he incorporated it into his first quilt painting. The wax medium acted as a natural preservative, encasing and protecting the fragile specimen — a moment that deeply influenced his artistic direction.
His first solo show at Melt Gallery, titled Fleeting, reflects these themes of impermanence, memory, and preservation — capturing moments that might otherwise be lost to time.
