Hello!
My name is Samantha Wigglesworth, I am a queer femme, contemporary representational artist.
She/They
Photo by Dark Ties Media
Bio:
Samantha Wigglesworth is a queer femme artist who works primarily in queer, transgender and gender non-conforming representations through portraiture. Growing up in conservative northern BC and moving to Abbotsford for her BFA at UFV was an eye-opening time for their artistic journey. While doing her BFA in Abbotsford, Samantha had several exhibitions in the area, including a solo exhibition titled Spectrum, which has been shown all across BC.
After Graduation Samantha decided to continue her studies with a Master of Fine Arts at UBCO in Kelowna in September of 2024, here she plans to use their research thesis to further explore contemporary issues around gender expression, around the increasingly violent and hostile tide of conservative rhetoric we are experiencing in North America. Through these works, they will advocate for gender expression as a positive and liberatory act. Asking audiences to reexamine their preconceptions of gender and their judgments, challenging them to see how they might contribute to change.
CV
Last updated Jan 2025
EDUCATION & MENTORSHIPS
University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna BC, Masters of Fine Arts - Sept 2024 - August 2026
University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford BC, Bachelors of Fine Arts - Sept 2018 - April 2024
Artist in Residency, Mentor Cara Guri, Vancouver BC, Portrait Painting Solo Exhibition- Feb 2023 - Sept 2023
Curatorial Gallery Practicum, Mentor Kit Fast, Dawson Creek BC - Sept 2022 - April 2023
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Reflections of Societal Expectations, PoMoArts Gallery as a part of the 2024 Kwi Am Choi Exhibition Scholarship award - July 2024
Vulnerably Visible Artist in Residency, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, BC - Sep/Oct 2023
Interrupting a Portrait, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John BC - July 2023
Spectrum, Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre, Dawson Creek BC - Mar/April 2022
Spectrum, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, Dawson Creek BC - Jun/Feb 2022
Spectrum, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John BC - July 2021
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
The Gay Agenda, Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art, Kelowna BC - Dec/Jan 2024/2025
56 Artists to Celebrate 56 Years, Langley Arts Council Gallery, Langley BC - Nov/Jan 2024/2025
HeART Walk, Northern Lights College, Fort St John BC - July/Aug 2024
Interpret Festival, UFV School of Creative Arts Grad Show, Abbotsford BC - April 2024
Women in Art, Kariton Art Gallery, Abbotsford Arts Council, BC - March 2024
UFV @ the MAC show, Mission Arts Council Gallery, Mission BC - Jan/Feb 2024
Spectrum, Kariton Art Gallery, Abbotsford Arts Council BC - Oct 2023
HeART Walk, Calvin Kruk Art Center, Dawson Creek BC - July/Aug 2023
Pride Week Art Exhibition, North Peace Pride Society, Fort St John BC - June 2023
Open Sky Art Exhibition, Arts North East, Chetwynd BC - June 2023
Face-to-Face featuring Spectrum, Island Mountain Arts, Wells BC - May/Jun 2023
Members Group Exhibition, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, BC - Nov 2022
Multiformity, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John BC - Sep 2022
HeART Walk, Dawson Creek Mall, Dawson Creek BC - July/Aug 2022
Pride Week Art Exhibition, North Peace Pride Society, Fort St John BC - June 2022
Open Sky Art Exhibition, Arts North East, Tumbler Ridge BC - May 2022
Open House, Pop up Gallery Show, Fort St John BC - Dec 2021
CURATORIAL EXHIBITIONS
June 2022 - Group Exhibition and Co-Curation, Pride Week Art Exhibition, North Peace Pride Society, Fort St John BC
Dec 2021 - Open House, Pop up Gallery Show, Fort St John BC
PAID OPPORTUNITIES
2023 - Artist in Residency, Mentor Cara Guri, Vancouver BC, Portrait Painting Solo Exhibition, Dawson Creek BC, CARFAC fee and paid residency.
2023 - Group Exhibition, HeART Walk, Calvin Kruk Art Center, Dawson Creek BC, Honorarium
2023 - Group Exhibition, Face-to-Face featuring Spectrum, Island Mountain Arts, Wells BC, CARFAC Fee
2022 - Group Exhibition, HeART Walk, Dawson Creek Mall, Dawson Creek BC, Honorarium
2022 - Spectrum, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, Dawson Creek BC
2022 - Creative Storefront Pilot Program, Fort St John BC
2021 - Open House, Curator, Pop up Gallery Show, Fort St John BC
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES
2022-2023 Run a Community Program once a week, Open Studio, Cultural Center, Fort St John BC
AWARDS & HONOURS
2024 - Arts Advocacy Annual Leadership Award, University of the Fraser Valley
2024 - British Columbia Arts Council Scholarship, Individual Arts Awards
2024 - Reflections of Societal Expectations, 2024 Kwi Am Choi Exhibition Scholarship Award, PoMoArts Gallery
2023 - British Columbia Arts Council Scholarship, Individual Arts Awards
2023 - Distinguished Reputational Award, for the work Drowning yet Surviving shown at Open Sky Art Exhibition, Arts North East, Chetwynd BC
2022 - British Columbia Arts Council Scholarship, Individual Arts Awards
2022 - Distinguished Reputational Award, for the work Modest shown at Open Sky Art Exhibition, Arts North East, Tumbler Ridge BC
2020 - AB-UFV/Community Ann Bursary
2018 - Royal Canadian Legion Bursary
2018 - District Authority Scholarship
2018 - Fort St John Community Arts Council Scholarship
2018 - Noelle Jellison Performing Arts Bursary
2018 - Peace Arts Gallery Society Bursary
PUBLICATIONS & ARTICLE INTERVIEWS
Aug 2024 Cleugh, Janis. “She Painted Balloons as Mirrors. Her Art Is Now up in Port Moody.” Tri City News, August 7, 2024. https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/she-painted-balloons-as-mirrors-he-art-is-now-up-in-port-moody-9322262.
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July 2023 Foster, Shailynn. “Artist Talk, Canvas Building Demo at North Peace Cultural Centre.” Energeticcity.ca, July 19, 2023. https://energeticcity.ca/2023/07/19/artist-talk-canvas-building-demo-at-north-peace-cultural-centre/?fbclid=IwAR1bAaa1wFj1UYRrbAziLQ7SZxw0IoTZ8m9nyCn290b02j8-CpxAzMnJgQc.
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July 2023 Buck, Todd. “Opening Night a Success for ‘Interrupting a Portrait.’” Alaska Highway News, July 11, 2023. https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/fort-st-john/opening-night-a-success-for-interrupting-a-portrait-7262906?fbclid=IwAR09kGl6u3V55S5tHDn-LKE8NE9Ysi-Z2FWvV1TuP57rkJjVlVArtT9WpWM.
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July 2023 Hall, Spencer, and Greg Armstrong. “Community Roundup: Peace Gallery North.” Energeticcity.ca, July 6, 2023. https://energeticcity.ca/2023/07/06/community-roundup-peace-gallery-north-9/?fbclid=IwAR13kH-43VW5yJ9Sn8pDofabhJ_KKcRowwBaGUYlyfbmURfGIP5uCfzkp4Y.
Dec 2022 Foster, Shailynn, and Manavpreet Singh. “Local Artist Receives $6K, Selected for Artist-in-Residence.” Energeticcity.ca, January 18, 2023. https://energeticcity.ca/2022/12/19/local-artist-receives-6k-selected-for-artist-in-residence/?fbclid=IwAR0YpYFasjYVnos6MBInyo8IrjwHJeK1ZD7pn9numf7OIPHx-mh9IGqlhZY.
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Dec 2022 Prepost, Matt. “Wigglesworth Named Artist in Residence.” Alaska Highway News, December 19, 2022. https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/local-arts/wigglesworth-named-artist-in-residence-6268912?fbclid=IwAR2KfG_Vpab_uBfYI7rLljjIH4TWEYJ0dCosJbGW7kd_LJZmEAWqzLKNLsM.
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May 2022 Hall, Spencer. “Two FSJ Artists Win Distinguished Awards at Open Sky Exhibition.” Energeticcity.ca, May 10, 2022. https://energeticcity.ca/2022/05/09/two-fsj-artists-win-distinguished-awards-at-open-sky-exhibition/?fbclid=IwAR0cgLSNnk1yqrTju7bw5h-zoX3usA-nXnqa1_OEGtRfFTZisoh_GGLWBZw.
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May 2022 Preprost, Matt. “Awards Handed out at Open Sky Regional Juried Art Exhibition.” Alaska Highway News, May 8, 2022. https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/local-arts/2022-peace-liard-regional-juried-art-exhibition-results-5344383?fbclid=IwAR2D_5j77EpkjxSwCUi1a4rpsnIXtgjVc198L-P7812zW7AUfrCpOXr1nFY.
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