Wendy Bombelles is a pastel painter based in Norfolk, Virginia. She focuses on finding/expressing the beauty and spirit in ordinary landscapes by interpreting color, light and texture.

Wendy has been an artist her entire life. After obtaining a formal art education at the Cleveland institute of Art she had a long career as a textile designer designing printed textiles and decorative products such as; wallpaper, fabrics, gift wrap, and other products for major manufactures in the home goods industry.

After the decline in the manufacturing textile industry and the emergence of computer-generated design. Wendy turned her attention to painting and drawing where she found a passion in working in soft pastels. She particularly loved the colors of pure pigments and the variety of textures that could be achieved. In her earlier pastel work she used various papers, adding mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, and alkyd paints to create a variety of textures.Her current work starts with an underpainting on mounted UART sanded paper. She applies layers of color until she reaches the desired result.

Wendy has always felt that one of the beautiful things about being an artist is that the need to create has driven her to explore other forms of creative expression. While learning and practicing her pastel painting she worked as a manager of education and managed a ceramics studio where she shared her skills of painting with the community.

Wendy is currently a member of Coastal Virginia Weavers which is a weaving studio in Norfolk. Recently she learned hand weaving on various floor looms which is something she had always wanted to try. The meditative process of weaving combines her love of fiber, texture, pattern and color and fulfills her need to create.

During the pandemic Wendy spent days enjoying the outdoors which brought new life and joy to painting nature and perfecting her technique in pastel painting. Wendy takes hundreds of photos which inspire her to paint. She uses photos from her travels or from around the block that capture a memory or place in time.