As an artist, W. Tucker has always been a bit of an opportunist, scribbling his own unique timestamp on a wide array of found objects from the past. A scrappy cast of characters tumbles to life from his non-dominant hand, scrawled across vintage book covers, children's blocks, and old records from his favorite thrift shops, abandoned cabinet doors, and homemade cement objects. His work is contemplative, his process completely unplanned. Without fixed intention or control, his markings take on a deeper meaning- each wavering line warrants our attention. Here, a stick-figure wears a hat; there, a joyful elephant.
W. Tucker was born in 1959 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He graduated from NYU with a BA in drama in 1982, later moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. While living with friends in the fabled art-centric Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, he discovered a drafting table, large pads of drawing paper, and sets of oil and chalk pastels left in the house by a previous tenant. Drawing and painting became a happy respite from the "frantic dismay" of auditioning. About three years into the practice, a solo exhibition dropped into his lap, and a visual artist was born. Tucker's work has been represented in the US by galleries in California, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. He also works with Galleri Hedenius in Stockholm, Sweden and has had his work shown in various galleries in Switzerland. Tucker's work has been published in New American Painting's, a juried show in print. For the 2012-13 season Tucker was awarded Austin Critics Table Award for "Best Installation" as well as "Artist of the year" for his installation at Texas State University. Tucker lives and works in Austin, Texas with his lovely wife Sylvia.