Gwendolyn Hustvedt

About the artist…

I am an artist educator living in San Marcos. I have taught Textiles at Texas State University since 2006. I received an MS in Textile Science from University of Nebraska and a PhD in Apparel and Textiles from Kansas State University. I have shown my fashion and surface design work both locally and internationally.

Inspiration, "to breathe into" or "to infuse", referred originally to a divine influence believed to be breathed into a person, giving them creative or spiritual guidance. The creation of my art spring from a reverence for nature. Each painting, each textile object, is an act of worship. We cannot know why ancient hominids left their marks, their ochre spattered handprints deep inside the earth, on the walls of caves, but we can sense they were inspired. I want to make marks that evoke the same mystery, that connect the viewers or wearers of my work to something intriguing, something more.

Why do I paint?

I paint to invite the viewer into the reverence that I feel for nature. While my work is largely representational, I have let go of any sense of control over the result by focusing on the use of Watermedia, such as dyes and watercolor pigments. I often set out with a plan and even sketch the boundaries of that plan using water-based resists, but I am quickly forced to let go of the initial goal to embrace the larger experience. I relish the joy that comes from recognizing accidental or abstract details that I can use as an entry point to further my work.

My goal is to entice the viewer into the mystery and intrigue of natural spaces

The Underground, where our dreams live

 The Forest, where trees each have such individuality

 The River, which connects us all.

 Learn more and see more photos at www.gwendolynstudio.com