Transformation through color, emotion, and presence
Raised in Oklahoma City, seasoned by Los Angeles, and spiritually shaped by nearly a decade in Punta Mita, Mexico, Abbey Wilson channels a life of reinvention into abstract works that feel both energetic and serene. What began as a private practice for healing has become a purposeful body of work—layered, intuitive, and open-ended—inviting viewers to slow down, breathe, and rediscover beauty in the simplest moments. In this conversation, Wilson shares who she is beyond the canvas: a woman grounded by motherhood, emboldened by resilience, and inspired by music, light, and the ocean’s horizon.
Q&A
IW: Before we talk about your art, who is Abbey Wilson today? How would you describe yourself beyond the titles of artist, mother, or model?
Abbey Wilson: I’m a woman on a mission to build deep, meaningful connections and to make art more accessible. I care about community, bringing beauty, peace, and a sense of possibility into people’s lives.
IW: You’ve lived so many lives: Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, Punta Mita. Which version of Abbey feels most you now?
AW: I carry pieces of each place. L.A. taught me confidence and creativity; Mexico had the biggest impact…holistic living, meditation, grounding in nature. Even in busy seasons, I can close my eyes and hear the ocean. That calm travels with me.
IW: How did your early years in modeling shape your perspective on beauty, confidence, and expression?
AW: Modeling taught me to roll with rejection and stay centered in who I am. It also showed me that beauty has no single age or size. Confidence is internal and when you keep showing up as yourself, the right rooms open.
IW: You spent nearly a decade raising your twin daughters in Mexico. How has motherhood influenced your creativity and your sense of purpose?
AW: It changed everything. My daughters made me more gentle and attentive to small wonders—a butterfly, a spider, the fragility of life. They taught me balance and brought out a vulnerable, tender part of my heart that feeds my art.
IW: What’s something most people would be surprised to learn about you?
AW: I’m very right-brain; drawn to speed, design, and movement. I once planned a clothing line and I still sketch constantly. In L.A., I lived on the only gated street in Bel Air—Elon Musk was next door, Quincy Jones down the way. Quincy often invited me to listen to young prodigies; that immersion in music is inspiring a new series now.
IW: When you first began painting, was it more of an emotional release or did you feel an immediate calling toward creating something lasting and meaningful?
AW: Both, but the calling was clear. A simple painting night reconnected me to a creative part of myself I’d buried during a difficult custody period. Painting became meditative, hours passed like minutes, and it reminded me that I carry beauty within me, even in hard times.
IW: You’ve spoken about painting as a form of healing. What was the first moment like when art shifted from something personal and private to something you wanted to share with the world?
AW: It started quietly. Showing family and friends, then creating pieces on request. I realized I’ve always “spoken” in color and shape. Sharing my work felt like sharing a language people could enter and make their own.
IW: Your work is deeply emotional yet abstract. How do you translate a feeling or memory into color, form, or motion on canvas?
AW: I try to be inside the feeling and let my body lead. I build layers slowly; each stroke is a conversation between emotion and canvas. By the end, it becomes an open space for others to find their own meaning.
IW: Do you plan your pieces, or is it a more intuitive process where the canvas reveals itself as you go?
AW: Entirely intuitive. I choose a palette, then follow what unfolds. The canvas tells me what it needs.
IW: You’ve lived in vibrant places—Los Angeles, Punta Mita, Oklahoma City. How does your environment influence your palette and energy when you paint?
AW: I’m pulled to ocean blues and clear skies, Mexico’s horizon lives in my work. The meditative state I find on the beach is the same state I enter in the studio.
IW: Music, light, scent are there sensory elements that play a role in your studio practice?
AW: Absolutely. Music sets the rhythm: Avicii or DJs for vibrant pieces; softer artists like Olivia Dean for sultry, reflective works. When I’m creating a music-inspired series, I’ll even play Quincy Jones’s productions. Natural light is everything, and I’ll often light a candle or palo santo to mark the space as sacred.
IW: When you step back and look at a finished piece, how do you know it’s done?
AW: I never fully do—like most artists, I could keep going. A practical trick helps: I photograph the work. Seeing it flattened shows me if the balance is there. I once read, “A piece isn’t finished until it’s sold”—there’s truth in that.
IW: You describe your work as an invitation to reconnect with beauty and emotion. What do you hope someone feels when they stand in front of one of your pieces for the first time?
AW: A remembrance of beauty within themselves and all around them. My art became a daily reminder for me in hard moments; I want it to bring that same quiet joy and peace into other people’s homes.
IW: You’ve experienced major transitions—career, motherhood, creative rebirth. What has been the most surprising lesson art has taught you about yourself?
AW: That creating connects me to my children, my community, and myself. It brought peace and rebuilt my confidence during a time of doubt. It reminded me I can offer something meaningful to my “tribe.”
IW: What does success look like to you now? Has it shifted from your earlier chapters?
AW: Completely. It’s no longer status or square footage. Success is happy children, a peaceful home, and the courage to be creatively vulnerable. The little things are the big things.
IW: Looking ahead, are there new directions or mediums you’re excited to explore? Perhaps collaborations, exhibitions, or even returning to Mexico creatively?
AW: I’m excited to be at Art Basel, and to exhibit abroad—Austria next month, Paris in January—with a gallery in Madrid. The journey is moving faster than I expected, and my mission is clear: bring beautiful pieces of peace into people’s spaces.
Lightning Round
- A color you return to again and again: Blue
- The song or sound that always gets you painting: “HMMM” by Skylen
- A place that feels like your muse: The beach
- An emotion that fuels your best work: The right amount of any emotion
- A word that defines this chapter of your life: Growth
Abbey Wilson paints from the inside out turning memory into movement and stillness into presence. Her canvases carry the hush of ocean mornings, the pulse of music, and the resilience of a mother becoming herself again. In a world that moves too quickly, Wilson’s work offers a pause, a reminder that beauty is both within us and right here in front of us.
Follow Abbey on Instagram @iamabbeywilson and learn more about her art at abbeywilsonart.com
