Wayne Traudt

Wayne Traudt is a Canadian living in New Zealand.  He is a multidisciplinary artist. Regardless of what medium he works in, his subject matter is always the same, the human form. When Wayne isn’t working on his figurative art he creates visual effects for feature films.  His film work can be seen in blockbuster Academy Award-winning films like The Hobbit trilogy and Avatar. Along side his feature film work Wayne has also created four short figurative films of his own.  One these films was commissioned by The National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Traudt's personal films have been screened in over 100 international film festivals and television broadcasts.  These films have received numerous nominations and won 6 prestigious awards. Most notably was a nomination at the Cannes International Film Festival and being short listed for an Academy Award. To help make these personal films Wayne received two Canada Council for the Arts Film Production Grants, three Alberta Foundation for the Arts Film Production Grants, and was the first recipient of the Bravo!FACT - Canadian Talent Award Film Production Grant.

Artist Statement
I have always found it hard to write about my figurative art. How do you make what’s intangible tangible? I’m not a writer, and rather than labelling myself a painter I am actually more of a visual translator. I see what is both overt and obvious, but also subjective and unknown. My subjects are tangible beings. I try to capture what we all are and that is spiritual composites of an essence of intelligence and life force. A dynamic energy that can never be fully captured, but is allowed to be seen in every one of my figures.

You don’t just look at my figures, you engage with them, particularly with the woman. You’re not going to get any closer to them than they actually want you to. I give them a suggestion of womanhood and yet an obvious overt power at the same time that is both beautiful, intelligent and sexual. They are the embodiment of woman power, not pictorial objectifiers, just the opposite, they are the true showcase of all that is woman. They are overt statements of them just being who they are. It’s both celebrating themselves as women, but there's also a hint of being in charge of themselves and them allowing us to only see and be in so much of it.

The human form is my inspiration an...

Along with all his film screenings, Wayne's figurative art works have also been exhibited in several solo and group shows. His artwork and film prints are held in private and institutional collections. Currently the largest single collection of his work can be found at the Hoffman Art Institute in Oklahoma City.

Recently Wayne has started creating and selling NFTs (non-fungible token) which can be purchased here: https://foundation.app/wtraudt