I Paint Stories Stories from the past, memories that I want to capture, stories about the city where I grew up, the buildings I remember and the events that made me the artist I am today.
I am a visual storyteller…My current artwork involves painting urban and natural landscapes of western Canada, which can be summarized into two categories Historic Buildings This series is one of my favorite themes.
From the 1970’s to the present, I’ve seen a slow transition in Medicine Hat, Alberta to a more modern urban culture, gradually finding its own voice and personality. The imagery in my current paintings' specifically reference Medicine Hat’s downtown buildings as an area with rich history and a deep personal connection.
The storefronts symbolize memories of childhood walks and experiences of small city life in western Canada. I’ve specifically chosen structures and businesses with classic signage and landscape vistas that were present when I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s. I simply want to capture the stories and the beautiful period buildings I walked by when I was a child before they disappear.
Flowers and Trees Before, when people asked if I would paint tulips, poppies or trees, I would decline. I had driven painting pursuits and had already decided I was to be a landscape painter. It didn’t take long to make an attitudinal adjustment. I had not appreciated the complicated lines, the subtle changes of form, value and color of the individual subject. Now, I strive to capture the vibrancy, inner light, and diverse nature of the tree or flower so it can stand alone as its own landscape. Seeing the beauty in common subjects that often go unnoticed, is what fuels my passion for painting. As an artist, a westerner, a Canadian and a woman, I have stories to tell about our shared environment.
I capture the things people walk by daily, without really taking the time to see, or look for the story behind the subject and commit those to a canvas.
