Laura Wood

I am a painter living in Toronto, Ontario with my husband and two young daughters. I was born in Ontario, Canada and received my BFA at the University of Waterloo.

My work is an investigation into image and perception, touching on the ambiguity of texts - photographic, painterly or mnemonic, creating an encounter open to interpretation. I use glazing techniques, creating layers which capture a rich glow of light and a depth of colour. I am constantly drawn to light and strive to always be living in it.

My work has been exhibited across Canada and the United States and is included in many International collections.

Laura's work is an investigation into image and perception, touching on the ambiguity of texts - photographic, painterly or mnemonic, creating an encounter open to interpretation. Laura uses glazing techniques, creating layers which capture a rich glow of light and a depth of colour.

Laura's work has been exhibited across Canada, in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary, and is included in many collections such as the Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto & Dubai; The St. Regis Hotel, San Francisco; The Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi; and Printemps Department Store, Paris.

University of Waterloo, BA

The process for me, how I build a painting, it is made up of many many stages and layers. I work with thin layers, creating layer upon layer of glazes, until eventually I am happy with the result. It takes many months of pushing and pulling, back and forth, closer and further until a painting is finally complete. I think of these layers almost as you would a photograph. Each layer represents the different colours in a photograph and how it is built up with many passes of colour to create a complete picture. This photographic quality has always been of interest to me. I take this a step further in paint, creating an abstracted reality where one can bring their own experience and memories to it. Each viewer has their own unique experience.

For me this process is so important. It is my meditation. My time of healing. The simple gesture. The physicality and repetition of it. Mark making after mark making. Soft blendings. The viscosity and smell of the oils. It triggers something in me, shutting out all the noise of the day.