STATEMENT
My practice is rooted at the intersection of caregiving, environmental stewardship, and public education. Navigating life as an elementary art teacher and mother to two young children has taught me to view fragmented time as a creative catalyst, informing an ecofeminist approach where time is nonlinear and interwoven with care. My visual vocabulary is deeply shaped by the Pacific Northwest, where I 'forage' for shapes and textures amidst its saturated greens and diffused light. I translate these sensory engagements—the movement of water, the rhythm of tidal cycles, and the organic textures of the lush forest—into layered compositions. By grounding my work in these local natural elements and gathering visual marks amidst the rhythms of daily life, I ensure my art is a direct response to these shared environments and the relational ties that sustain them.
BIO
Anna Wetzel Artz is an artist and educator with over two decades of experience in public education. Following a BFA from Kansas State University and an M.Ed. from Rockhurst University, she has developed a practice deeply informed by her Midwest roots and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Artz’s work often involves site-specific research at residencies such as Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and Prairieside Outpost. Currently a K-5 Art Specialist, her work was recently acquired by the King County Public Art collection.