A Walk in the Forest Painting

The most important aspect of what I do as a landscape painter is to make people stop, look, listen and feel the landscape that surrounds them. My landscapes are familiar—snapshots taken from my immediate surroundings. People recognize this, often telling me of their connection with a painting—a field they pass by, a hiking trail, a sideroad or a snowy creek. I give people something they know, but maybe don’t always take time to talk about with someone else. Working from photographs or en plein air, I paint flat on my lap or tabletop. My paintings are small in size and my palette is limited with the rich hue of ultramarine blue mixed throughout. A daughter bred from music and sculpture, I curved my way through life loving and living art. I grew up above a retail shop. After being encouraged by my high school art teacher and my parents to pursue an education in art, I received my honours in Fine Arts at The University of Guelph, specializing in drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Dabbling in paint I had a hard time finding my subject matter. I went on to study Digital Media Arts at Seneca College where I learned graphic design skills. The years following school, I worked as a Digital Media Artist at a marketing company and an Assistant Manager of a small art gallery in Waterloo. Eventually, I returned home to manage one of my parent's stores. Not long after, came marriage and motherhood. I have run my own business as a freelance Graphic Designer and started a business called Other Half Studio where I made wooden screen printed travel maps and graphic ski maps. Moving to the small village of Creemore, almost 9 years ago, was a pivotal moment in my life. I found myself surrounded by artists, creatives and people that make their way on their own. After taking a portrait oil painting class in Creemore a light switch was turned on on—my time to paint had arrived! My love for art, combined by the beautiful landscape, village and people that surrounded me became my inspiration. Painting is my way to find a stillness and connection to our world. I capture moments in our landscape that are easily passed by and invite the viewer to be drawn into the space. I often find myself getting lost in the landscape.