'Mill Yard After the Rain', Middlebury, VT 

Oil on Board

18x24"

Father of Isabelle Wyatt '21

I grew up in the city of Philadelphia. One of my earliest memories of the power of place was playing underneath an enormous steel bridge bordering the city’s lush Fairmount Park. There was something about this intimate space that has stuck with me. It was hidden, mysterious, built of the rough textures of crumbling concrete and rusting iron, but embraced by a wild green tangle of woodland. Cars and trucks pulsed overhead, but I was aware I had found a quiet place of refuge. It felt peaceful, safe, gritty, dangerous, and beautiful all at the same time. 

After graduating from Massachusetts College of Art with a degree in Sculpture, I pursued a career in designing and building gardens. The moss and stone gardens of Japan became my obsession and taught me how the power of natural beauty could transport and transform. Having completed a twenty-year profession as a garden designer, I am now circling back towards painting as an artistic expression in hopes to continue this exploration. Instead of solely focusing on 'nature' for inspiration, I'm taking a deeper look at its intersection with man-made 'ugliness,' and realizing that the distinction between the two is not that clear.

https://samuelwyattart.com

s.wyatt826@gmail.com