Pamela Wells knows the transformational power of art.
Bridging the gap between commercial and fine art, the Cardiff artist has touched many lives with her work as artist, author and consultant specializing in creative work that leads to greater consciousness.
Growing up in a chaotic and unsafe family environment led Wells to question everything in life. She says, “My family’s dysfunction was the necessary catalyst that motivated me to leave what I knew in order to recreate myself in a way that the only limits I had were the limits I chose to believe in.”
Drawn to California’s idyllic coastal lifestyle, the native of Miami, Fla. relocated to San Diego in 1992. She says, “California seemed to be a promising place I could find freedom from traditional viewpoints and discover new ways of thinking.”
After earning a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing from George Washington University, Wells soon discovered her desire for a career in art. In the 1980”s while working in a magazine marketing department, she took evening classes at the Corcoran School of Art, where she learned to use creative software on the newly introduced Macintosh computer. She says, “Many would say I became an early adopter due to fortuitous, historical timing. I would say it was destiny.” She worked full-time for three years for both a magazine and a personnel association before building her own freelance design business as a commercial illustrator, web and graphic designer for over 20 years.
She says, “Denial is amazingly powerful, but I finally connected the dots and realized commercial art is Art, and that my entire career has been involved in creating art, regardless of my job title or the market. Saying, ‘I AM an Artist’ was an act of recovering from years of self-denial.” Mastering and understanding her self and purpose guided her to take the next step: to commit to becoming a fine artist in spite of the fear.
Wells says, “When I asked the question ‘Who am I?’ — a most deep and profound question — it inevitably morphed into many more philosophical questions to comprehend the meaning of my existence.” She continues, “My career history is a reflection of a spiritual path in action and how the seemingly simple question, ‘Who am I?’ can become a guide for empowered decision making. My most recent decision to make the leap from a commercial artist to a fine artist was a result of acting from self-knowledge and faith over fear.”
With outstanding facility of color and design, Wells is currently studying classical drawing and oil painting techniques of the Renaissance Masters. She says, “I believe the Old Masters perfectly captured the spiritual and magical essence of light that is so important to me in my own spiritually inspired art work.”
According to Wells, a constant seeker of universal truths, “You are the co-creator of your life in partnership with the Divine. So paint your life with all the colors of the rainbow and make it splendidly beautiful, meaningful, and sacred.”
Among her many creative works, Pamela Wells has authored and illustrated “Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess,” a collector’s edition guidebook and card set for understanding mystical wisdom.
Learn more about the artist and her work at ArtmagicPublishing.com.
Kay Colvin is an art consultant and director of the L Street Fine Art Gallery in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. She specializes in promoting emerging and mid-career artists and bringing enrichment programs to elementary schools through The Kid’s College. Contact her at [email protected].
