Bio
Wendy Tremayne's journey in the creative world began after completing a BA in a self-designed major of art and business at SUNY Buffalo. Her early career took her through a variety of creative roles at prominent book and magazine publishers such as Henry Holt Publishing, DJ Times, and Sound & Lighting magazines, and within the music industry at 8 Ball Records. These experiences ultimately led her to become the Media Director and Event Producer for the eclectic record label and book publisher, Ellipsis Arts, and The Relaxation Co.
Working with Ellipsis Arts, Wendy made a significant impact by curating a month-long exhibition and series of performances featuring experimental musical instrument builders at the renowned World Trade Center's Winter Garden. She further honed her expertise in event production, public relations, and press and publicity events while serving as Creative Director and partner at the bi-coastal pop-culture marketing company, Green Galactic. Her clients ranged from DJs, to authors, artists, and magazines to tech companies and filmmakers.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Wendy managed her own small record label, 28 Days Records, distributed by Ryko/Polygram. She also channeled her talents into playing bass and writing songs for the band Moxie Starpark, with her compositions gaining recognition through licensing on shows like Dawson's Creek, Joan of Arcadia, and Men in Trees.
Wendy's passion for conceptual art grew over the years, prompting her to break free from client work in 2002 and secure sponsorship from The New York Foundation for the Arts. This sponsorship allowed her to produce a series of impactful media-driven works, notably including Swap-O-Rama-Rama, NO BUSH, The Vomitorium 2004, and Holy Scrap, all exploring themes of empire, class structure, and the commodification of culture.
Seeking a deeper understanding of the commodification of culture, Wendy made a unique commitment to create everything needed for sustainable living, from food and shelter to power, fuel, medicine, and domestic goods. This undertaking led her to spend more than a decade building Holy Scrap, a one-acre experimental lab in Truth or Consequences, where she explored sustainable living. The culmination of this work resulted in her authored book, "The Good Life Lab: Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living," published by Storey Publishing in 2013. The book received prestigious recognition, including the Nautilus major book award for sustainability and lifestyle, and was celebrated by the press, earning the title of best summer read by Publisher's Weekly. Following the book's release, Wendy engaged in keynote talks and led numerous workshops, sharing her knowledge and insights.
Deeply committed to community development, Wendy designed and produced cultural events while residing in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, which led to the establishment of a community-based production group called Goatheads. Through this initiative, she created workshops that fostered collaboration among local community members to curate and produce cultural happenings.
As a writer, Wendy's career includes a longstanding column titled "RE: Fitted" in Craft Magazine, featuring innovative reuse projects, as well as feature-length articles in esteemed publications such as Make Magazine, New Mexico Edibles, Reality Sandwich, and Sufi Magazine. Additionally, she contributed to numerous full-length books, sharing her perspective in various domains.
Contemplative practice has remained at the core of Wendy's work, as she has been teaching yoga since 2001. Further, her profound study of Sufism at The Suluk Academy inspired her to teach Sufism and lead contemplative retreats. Wendy played an instrumental role in the development of The Seven Pillars House of Wisdom, a Sufi journal that later became a book she contributed to. Additionally, she founded an Inayati Sufi Center in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. With professional dancer Sydney Wilkes she blended movement and contemplative practice to create Spacesuit, a movement-based, experiential, contemplative practice model aimed at teaching interpersonal skills within the local community.
Driven by her artistic vision, Wendy had an intriguing conceptual art piece in her twenties, vowing to save painting for her fiftieth birthday. When the time came, she embraced her calling, exploring portrait and figurative works in oil and sharing her art through numerous art openings across New Mexico.