Atlanta artist Gretchen Wagner's textured work delves into color theory and geometry

On the “City Lights” series “Speaking of Art,” local artists share insights into their influences, processes, and experiences in town. 

Gretchen Wagner is an Atlanta artist and designer who produces paintings and prints exploring color theory and geometry. Her background in textiles and printmaking are visible in her work through surprising textures and layers that seem to transcend her media. Materials used by Wagner often extend beyond the surface of the canvas, incorporating fabrics and beads intricately structured to trick the eye.

She explains her method: “For the last year, I have been developing a method of relief printing where I laser cut my plates to ensure precision and modularity. In the printing process, I work with predetermined color schemes that will generate complex color interactions. After printing, my work is sewn with a matrix of glass beads.” Wagner adds, “The embellishment, in addition to the overlapping layers of color, impede the eye’s ability to deduce the true identity of a single color in each print.”