In Fruits of Labor, Summer Wheat (SCAD M.F.A., painting, 2005) presents six richly textured paintings inspired by Greek mythology, animal archetypes, and astrology. A pair of totemic works featuring fruit–animal hybrids are flanked by multiple large-scale paintings that immerse viewers in a lush, harmonious world. In these scenes, Wheat portrays female figures as nurturers and cultivators lounging post-exertion, entwined with animals often associated with fear yet exuding calm and satisfaction. This new series expands Wheat’s practice of depicting women at work to their well-earned luxuriating that follows, insisting that moments of release, repose, and ease after collective effort are worthy of commemoration.

Wheat’s unique process begins with digital sketches, which she transforms into tapestry-like surfaces by piping acrylic paint through wire mesh. This labor-intensive technique yields composite images, embedding stylized characters within patterns, grids, and nets that reference folk traditions, sacred geometry, and digital systems. Inviting viewers to experience a dynamic interplay of depth and flatness, order and intuition, Wheat’s vivid, multilayered paintings are portals into alternate realms where the fruits of labor are fully relished.