“Artistic Journey ’’
Artistic Journey, fifty years of painting with half of those years painting fulltime, has taken me to explore many themes throughout my artistic career. Looking back over the years I have painted, I realized that I worked in a series because that subject captured an emotion, or a mood through the light, textures, lines or colors. I wanted to reflect the feeling of my subjects in my paintings. I am not a realist nor an abstract painter but something in between. Through my paintings I wanted the viewers to look closely and discover the treasures along the journey of life, the awareness of everyday things or situations, and I wanted the viewer to come into the painting to see the process and sense the mood.
This exhibition is composed of three themes that have been a major influence on my artistic journey. The Ukrainian series, Land/Water Series and Still Life/Floral Series.
The Ukrainian Series, which is largest series I have painted and is very special to my heart. The series started after a mission trip to Ukraine in 2008 to help the widows and orphans. I was inspired by the widows’ resilience, the countryside and my mother’s Ukrainian heritage. This series has been shown in Saskatoon at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada , The KUMF Ukrainian Gallery in Toronto and at the Gallery at Qualicum Art Supply with great success. It has been my mission to give a percentage of my sales from this series to Hungry for Life ‘s Ukraine Widow’s Program and Emergency Fund; this organization is based in Chilliwack.
The Land & Water Series started with the wide-open living sky prairie landscapes, to the fascination of loons and waterlilies with the interesting reflections and color in the water, when I was canoeing on the northern lakes. In 2005 when I moved to Parksville, I admit that did miss the colors of the prairies. I started sketching and painting the shores and beaches around Oceanside area. I found myself incorporating texture into my paintings of the rocks and beaches to have a more expressive effect on the subject. Sketching art tour to France and a visit to Newfoundland and the Fogo Island inspired several paintings.
The Still Life & Floral Series, painting waterlilies, calla lilies, iris, poppies and then came the pomegranates with their color and texture.
Painting primarily in acrylic because they are so versatile, I also incorporate various media to create my pieces of art. Working in a series is something I like to do whether it is still life of pomegranates or flowers, or special places I have visited or lived in.
Now it is time to wind down the Artistic Journey, but not completely as I still have some blank canvas and paints to use up in my awesome studio space. Always an artist….