PAINTINGS

info@thegrottoartworks.com

I was born and raised in Ottawa. As a young adult

I travelled extensively and lived in various regions

of Canada. For the last 40 years I have made

Montague Township my home with husband Bruce

and our children. I have had many careers in the

arts. I studied Graphic Design at  Algonquin College

in my late 30's and worked in the graphic design

field - I went on to teach art .... become a gallery

curator and finally over the last 10 years to focus

fully on painting. Art has always been part of my

life from a very early age. My parents gave me my first oil painting set when I

was 10. I have studied art extensively at private ateliers, art schools and colleges.

I consider myself classically trained. I believe that "good drawing skills" is the foundation for "good art." My landscape paintings reflect the rural scenes of Lanark County, northern Ontario, Charlevoix and Kamouraska regions of Quebec and Upper New York State. I have taken numerous art workshops with well-known Canadian and American plein air artists. This past summer I travelled to England and had the good fortune to take a plein air workshop with British landscape artist David Curtis. My future goal is to travel to the Klondike and paint the beauty and breathe of this land "Canada".

Artist Statement:

To paint directly from nature is truly an inspiring and freeing experience. The connection to the earth ... to be rooted .... heightens my sense of awareness of sight, scents and sounds. I am drawn to the play of light and the changing weather patterns. The sense of place, space, abstract shapes and colour intrigues me. My landscapes must possess a sense of emotion and spirituality. I am striving in my work to say as much as possible with as little as possible – to suggest rather than to overly describe. I wish to leave some mystery that invites the viewer to explore and make discoveries for themselves. I work primarily in oil  -  I find this medium conveys the transitory effects of light and mood. In my studio paintings I endeavour to translate  the energy and vigour of my plein air paintings to my work. I am always asking myself ... what is it that I wish to express in my landscapes .... ? My quest to explore space, colour, texture in landscape is on-going .... always in a state of change.....