[1][2] His art and writing frequently deal with themes of nature and the "austere enchantments" of life on Maine's islands, as Wadsworth himself put it.
[3] In addition to his work as a visual artist and poet, he also illustrated books and, with his wife Jean, ran a small publishing house called The Tidal Press.
[1][6][7] His printmaking and illustrations made use of modern techniques such as collagraphy; he also produced oil paintings and drawings that are held in the collections of various regional and national museums, along with several of his prints.
[4][8][9][10] In 2009, four pieces by Wadsworth were included in a retrospective exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art that featured works from the larger community of artists who had been active in the Cranberry Isles during the second half of the twentieth century, of which Wadsworth was the first (others included Ashley Bryan, Gretna Campbell, Robert LaHotan, and John Heliker).
[5] A film was made about his life; and several documents, photographs, and other items associated with Wadsworth can be found at the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society.