Glen Wallis
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTIST
Wallis enjoys experimenting with different materials and processes whenever he gets the chance. Mixed Media holds a natural attraction for him as a result. A graduate from the University of British Columbia with a diploma in Art History along with a degree in sociology, Glen lives in a house in which all members of the family are engaged in the arts including his wife, encaustic artist Susan Wallis.
Wallis’ “Composition” series explores the connection between art and mass production fabrication. Inspired by the Russian born, American Sculptor Louise Nevelson’s work of the mid 20th century, Wallis uses discarded objects and cast-off scraps in these recycled sculptural works. Commissioned wall compositions also included specific items provided by clients. Using variations of the cube as the groundwork for his compositions, Wallis creates notable wall-like, collage driven reliefs.
Wallis has also delved into the encaustic medium in his “Quilt” series . Inspired by the traditional process of quilt-making, Wallis creates grid-like paintings using encaustic as a collage medium embedding items from the envirinment into his work.
A multidisciplinary artist, Glen Wallis has always enjoyed sewing and has his maternal grandmother’s Bernina sewing machine — a cherished heirloom that symbolizes his deep-rooted affection for this craft. The idea for his “Quilt” series was born from this love of textiles and handcraft, translating the comforting structure of quilts into a visual, painterly language.
Glen first experimented with encaustic painting more than 20 years ago during a week-long class at the Haliburton School of the Arts. During a break from the class, he went out for a walk and stumbled upon a dead butterfly. Struck by its delicate beauty, he incorporated it into his first quilt painting. The wax medium acted as a natural preservative, encasing and protecting the fragile specimen — a moment that deeply influenced his artistic direction.
Glen’s first solo show at Melt Gallery took place May 16-June 1st 2025, titled Fleeting,
When not in his artist studio Wallis also designs and builds beautiful wood beds and home accessories www.wallisdesignbuild.com
Glen Wallis’ work is on permanent display at the gallery. To see more of his work go to our online SHOP.
15 x 17 in
Encaustic
Glen Wallis’ QUILT series plays with the opaqueness, translucency and texture of encaustic and the versatility of the medium with regards to the art of collage.
The quilt-like loose squares are paintings within paintings: each square could stand alone as an individual painting, but together they become a unified whole where he pays careful attention to the tension between these separate components.
The use of a varied palette contributes to the painting's visual richness. His previous foray into stain class is reflected in the jewel like quality of many of the pieces.
The opportunity to embed items into the works allows for an endless exploration of themes. In this series he chooses the butterfly and dragonfly, which are both abundant around his home in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
The dragonfly and butterfly images reference museum quality insect collections, which are often set within a grid format. These collections often surprise viewers with the diversity of species.
These pieces are available in our online shop, and can be viewed in person in our current group show!
10 in d.
Made from re-purposed Carerra marble from the façade of the Bank of Montreal, First Canadian Place, in Toronto. This 72-storey buiding is Canada’s tallest corporate tower originally built in 1975. The 45,000 slabs (4,000 tonnes) of marble originally imported from Italy were replaced over an 18 month period with 5,986 glass panels.
The plates have been water-jet cut and locally refinished by craftsman and designer Glen Wallis of Wallis Design Build. Plates are sealed with a food safe sealer. Simply put in the fridge for an hour before serving. The plate will stay cool for up to 2 hours. Perfect for serving cheese, fruit and charcuterie. Plate will stain and patin over time which is part of its appeal or you can choose to bleach it.
I’’m drawn to the gritty, colourful textures in Gigi’s clay work. I also admired the sense of movement in her pieces — as you walk around the sculpture, the forms seem to shift and change before your eyes. The dark openings in her work captivated me and seemed to draw me in, inviting a closer look. I carried all of these influences with me as I created my own pieces, thinking about how texture, colour, movement, and shadow can work together to engage the viewer.
See the work by Gigi Wenger that inspired this piece here, part of the Pairings show 2025.
16 × 16
Encaustic