W. R. Waken
Conjurer, 2025
Acrylic on Panel
11" x 14"
 
Artist Bio
W.R. Waken is an emerging American artist pursuing the universe’s unanswerable questions through painting. Fueled by existential curiosity, she explores humanity’s connection to the universe through a psychedelic and spiritual lens—blending surreal and cosmic human figures with vivid colors. Elements of religion and mythology, philosophy, and astronomy inspire this imagery, often depicting moments of change or transformation. Each painting is a shrine to the human experience as we struggle against our smallness in this vast cosmos.
 
For over a decade, painting was a persistent passion but remained on the sidelines. Waken
continued to experiment and explore various subjects and mediums, selling into private
collections along the way, but couldn’t quite find her niche. Then in 2023, as if struck by
lightning, a moment of self-reflection revealed a new path. She found what she truly wanted to express with her art, and a flood of inspiration possessed her. Emboldened, she later left her career in the wine and spirits industry to pursue painting full-time.