Art found its way back into my life in 2015, when I enrolled in watercolour lessons at Varley Art Gallery in Markham. My passion for painting was rekindled in 2018, when I started painting with acrylic and participating in art shows through art clubs. I further improved my skills by taking acrylic painting lessons with the talented artist, Allan O’Marra, who taught me excellent techniques for still life, portrait and introduced me to abstract painting, which had a significant impact on me. I started to enjoy the painting process even more, as I discovered the joy of creating with texture and flow along with colour and form, and a greater freedom of expression. I learned more multi-media techniques through online videos and the possibilities of art and painting felt limitless.

My inspiration comes from the wonders of nature. I also get inspired when I observe the diverse styles of popular artists in museums and galleries across the world, as well as emerging artists that prove how subjective art can be and how it engages people in a personal way. It is amazing how an ordinary thing can be made to look extraordinary in a painting. The Zoom sessions held by The Art Guild of Scarborough have been inspiring and educational for me and it has been great to connect with artists from all over Canada.

Description of my art:

I like to incorporate a little of everything I learn into my paintings. I have painted all kinds of themes using watercolour, oil and acrylic and currently I enjoy painting abstracts in acrylic and mixed media, with the freedom to create with no rules. I am particularly drawn to texture and fluidity, along with contrast in colour, shapes and patterns, and use different tools and mediums to add dimension to my paintings. I like to enjoy the process and paint loose and prefer variety rather than sticking to a particular theme. This is in stark contrast with my formal education and work where everything is rigid and in black and white, so the creative outlet through painting freely has been very gratifying.

Achievements:

I was honored to receive a Special Merit stamp for my painting named Breaking free in 2019, as well as another painting named Infinite has been selected for the prestigious Arthur show in September 2022, both of which are abstracts and were juried at the Art Guild of Scarborough. It is indeed a joy when someone relates to my style and connects with my paintings, and a validation when they buy my paintings. I have participated in online art shows in 2021-2022, along with other art shows at Community centres and Art galleries, as well as fundraising with the Rotary club, and hospitals.

My art journey has been fulfilling, and evolving as each year goes by, and my involvement and creativity increases. I hope to learn and improve at every stage and revel in the peace and joy of expressing my love of colour on canvas. I also hope to engage the viewers and draw them into my process.