Landscape

My artistic path began when I decided to take an oil painting class and found that, yes, this is what I want to do.  I find oils to be an exciting and intriguing medium which allows me to move the paint on the canvas to create movement and mood.

In 2002, I started taking oil painting classes at Pro's Art Gallery and Studio in Edmonton.  During my time there, I participated in many workshops and painting classes.  I continue to build on my art studies by learning from other artists and workshops.  They have all inspired me to create art from the art, to capture the essence of what I feel and see.  It is my hope that my art will lift the spirit of the viewer.

I am primarily a landscape artist and have recently renewed my interests in both still life and portraiture.

I am an active member of the Barrhead Art Club, St. Albert Painter's Guild, NOA Onoway and NOA Edmonton.  I work co-operatively with other artists to promote the art in my community.

Louise Murielle Piquette

Box 719, 16268 Twp. Rd. 675, Plamondon, AB T0A 2T0

Telephone: 780 798 3910,

E-mail: caritas@telusplanet.net

Louise is a native of St. Paul, Alberta and now resides in Lac La Biche County near the hamlet of Plamondon, Alberta. She is married and has raised four children and she is proud of her eight grandchildren. Louise’s artistic talents are largely self-taught. She has enriched her learning by taking courses and workshops in Fine Arts at Douglas College, New Westminster, British Columbia. It is there that she developed and perfected her creative techniques and favorite art forms so evident in her work today. Louise works in watercolor, acrylics and clay. Watercolour landscapes allows her to express what she absorbs from her surroundings of farmland, lakes and rivers, ponds and the boreal forest. Her attraction to older folks and down to earth people of yesteryears is the inspiration for many characters she sculpts in clay. She enjoys people responses to her pieces, the vivid personalities they perceive evoking feelings of affection humor and pleasure. Masks and pottery complete her array of clay works. Her art work is displayed in many private collections across Canada and in other countries. She has offered many demonstrations of painting, sculpting and mask-making at various locations in Alberta.

Louise has two studios, one for clay and one for painting. Louise also loves painting in the fifth wheel during her travels with her husband. In May 2012, she is starting a new and exciting venture, the opening of the “Boreal Gallery,” the first art gallery in Lac La Biche County.

Education

1960 – 69: courses provided by the University of Alberta Extension Department

1970 – 73:  Fine Arts Program, Douglas College, New Westminster, B.C.

1972 - 83:  Painting and pottery evening classes, Surrey and Delta Art Councils

1983 – 86: First and second year Carpentry, Portage College, Lac La Biche

2001 – present: Water color workshops: Brian Ateo, Jim Brager, Jack Reid, Ron Ranson

Exhibitions

1971 – 1982:  Spring and Fall Delta, B.C. Arts Festival exhibitions.

1971 – 1982:  Spring and Fall Invitational open houses at her home studio in Tsawwassen.

1976: Sculpture exhibition at Danish Art Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.

1987 – 2001: Annual paintings, pottery and sculpture exhibitions at Lac La Biche Arts and Craft Show.

2000 – present: Annual painting, pottery, sculptures and mask exhibitions at Centre des Arts Visuels de l’Alberta, Edmonton.

2001 – present: Travelling displays with Centre des Arts in various francophone communities in Alberta.

2001 – present: Annual invitational open houses at her home studio in Lac La Biche.

2008- present: Fall and spring  St. Albert Painters’ Guild Art Show and Sale

Collections   Many private collections

Memberships

St. Albert Painters’ Guild

Société  des arts visuels de l’Alberta (CAVA)

Visual Arts Studio Association (VASA)

Galleries  

Le Centre des Arts Visuels de l’Alberta,  Edmonton,

Boreal Gallery, Plamondon, AB

Carroll was born in Edmonton and raised in Hinton, AB- a small town nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies.

She graduated from a 4 year Diploma Program at Alberta College of Art in 1989 with distinction winning the Heritage Travel Scholarship Award 1988 & 1989.

She is inspired by Georgia O’Keefe’s fluidity and minimalism and the surrealist dreamscapes of Salvador Dali.

She has works in private & public collections throughout Alberta.

She enjoys nature and often uses animal skulls, driftwood and cave photographs as starting points, focusing on one particular area, zooming in and letting the image transform into its own entity on the canvas, sometimes creating a foreign, dreamlike landscape and other times a deep cavern to explore.

She invites the viewer to explore these wide “enclosed” spaces and see what images come to life in their eyes.

Barbara Shore was born in Sarnia, Ontario.  She has lived in many different communities in Alberta for the past 37 years. In 1970 she took several courses at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Extension. Through the following years she juggled her interest in art with work and raising a family. In 2004 Barbara Shore completed her Fine Arts Certificate at the University of Alberta Extension Faculty.  Since then, she has been producing art in a variety of medium in Western Canada. 

Barbara’s focus continues to be in figurative and landscape painting. She continues to explore different medium and techniques working primarily in oil and acrylic on board and canvas but has also worked in mixed media.

In 2008, Barbara participated in the Artist on the Rails program. In the past few years she has had solo shows in Jasper, Alberta. Her work is currently held in the collection of the Sawridge Hotel, Jasper Alberta as well as many private collections. 

Barbara is a member of several artist associations which include V.A.S.A., the Alberta Society of Artists, the Federation of Canadian Artists, and the Oil Painters of America. She is also an associate member of the Society of Canadian Artists. 

Barbara recently participated as a Board Member with Visual Art Studios Alberta, V.A.S.A, in St Albert, Alberta.

Golden surfaces, bright colours, patterns, and negative spaces - my early memories are filled with images of Ukrainian Byzantine paintings. Growing up ‘transculturally’ in an immigrant Ukrainian family meant being surrounded by gold-leafed church interiors and traditionally decorated homes. A properly raised Ukrainian Catholic girl was steeped in vishivanya (embroideries), colourful pysanky (dyed Easter eggs) and gilded icons, and it was these elements that inspired a love of visual art in adulthood.

The connection between my childhood and an inclination  toward patterns, bright colours, negative space and the use of gilding would became clear in the mid 90’s. This was the beginning of the Gold Series - a continuing body of work in which I am exploring these repetitive themes.

Historically, the use of gold leaf (gilding) in religious iconographic painting, Byzantine or otherwise, was intended to symbolize purity, spirituality, and clarity of light. Gold leaf applied to a flat surface may appear alternatively as very shallow or very deep, depending on the direction and source of illumination. Even a sliver of indirect light will illuminate gilding so that it appears to actually embody light itself. For this reason, gold leaf is most often seen as the embellishment of halos in religious art. It is perhaps this embodiment of light that assigns gold its material value, as in the “gold standard”, and also its sentimental value, as when the bond between lovers is symbolized by a band of gold.

The commissioned icon painter of the past worked within stringent guidelines dictated by church doctrine to relay certain religious beliefs or truths to the masses. The icon was and is valuable, both in monetary and spiritual terms, as a sacred object.

The use of gold in contemporary painting can signify a reference to the sacred - to certain truths and beliefs. In the Digital Icon series, this reference is juxtaposed with electronically altered, or digitized, images, which are, in effect, products of imagination and manipulation. This uniting of opposites may be seen to bridge the gap between old and new, past and present, reality and fantasy. It is left to the viewer to decide whether the gilding functions simply as a decorative element, or if its use imbues the final image with more meaningful connotations.          

In 1993, I received my Fine Art diploma (with Distinction) from Grant MacEwan College.  My paintings, including a commissioned portrait of Dr. MacEwan, are held in private and public collections across Alberta. An acrylic painter primarily, I experiment with and teach various approaches to artmaking through community and gallery programs, such as drawing, sculpture, collage, printmaking, and digital art.

Born and raised in British Columbia, I grew up under my family’s creative influence. My mother was an avid oil painter.  She, in turn, was inspired by her grandfather, A.A. Brooke, who was an accomplished water colourist. As a little girl I was mesmerized by my great grandfather’s hand painted journals, and learned about my family history through his lovingly rendered paintings of their life on the farm. These journals would later become valuable historical records of pioneer life in both Alberta and British Columbia museums.

 But it was Arthur Brooke’s wildlife paintings that captivated me the most. To this day, I stand in awe that he could capture the serenity of deer grazing in a field, the playfulness of a bear cub, or the mighty majesty of a pair of bull moose in a fight for supremacy. Little wonder that I would grow up with a love for nature and all its wild creatures.

In high school I was fortunate to study under one of my greatest teachers, George Siddall. It was through his teachings and constant challenges to step outside my comfort zone, that I came to understand that life, like art, is a creative process. I would forgo even my lunch hours in order to immerse myself in every course he taught, because in every new project he challenged us with, there was a parallel lesson about life. Heady stuff indeed for a young impressionable mind.

I had dreamed of attending art school, but life has a way of steering one in the direction in which one has the greatest opportunity to learn.  And so I stepped outside and began my studies under the wisest teacher of all – nature. Life and art as process? Nature has that lesson perfected!  Now, I feel fortunate to have had my creative path unfold as it has, allowing me the freedom to explore the subjects dearest to my heart, without outside restrictions.

Though I grew up in British Columbia, I have spent most of my life in Alberta and am equally at home walking the west coast beaches as I am tramping through the marshes of prairie wetlands in search of subjects for my work. It’s a privilege to step into the wild and gain insight into each animal’s life in their own habitat. My photographic journeys have taken me throughout North and Central America, as well as East Africa, in search of animals wild and free in their natural surroundings. What a gift!  

I have been fortunate over the years to have a career path that allows me to use my creative talents as resident artist and storyteller in a public library setting. The opportunity to nurture children as they follow their own creative paths – including my own children and grandchildren – ensures that the legacy from my great grandfather continues.

Today, my life is filled with kindred spirits from whom I am still learning; artists, photographers, storytellers and naturalists. The creative process never stops. Thanks, George.

Artist's Statement

I have had a lifelong passion for animals, and wildlife holds a special fascination for me as a painter. Like us, every living creature has a story to tell, and with each of my paintings I strive to draw the observer into their world, if only for a moment. What would it feel like to be a lion awakened from a mid-day snooze, or an owl soaring through the clouds at daybreak?  As I photograph the animals, I hope to capture the essence of that story. As a painter, I want to immerse myself in that animal’s world, and then set their story free.

In our busy lives, it is so easy to become detached from nature, lose our connection to the earth, and forget the common destiny that we share with every creature on the planet. By celebrating the lives of these animals and their disappearing habitat through my art, I hope to raise awareness to their fight for survival in our increasingly threatened world.  Their future is our future.

If my work touches the heart of the observer, then I have begun to achieve my goal.

Victoria Armstrong

Most of my life, my home has been Edmonton and, since 2000, it is in Parkland County.

I studied art at the University of Alberta in the early 1970’s; worked as a labourer, as a carpenter and as a teacher.  I am a husband, a father and a grandfather.

I presently work at the Perron studio in St.Albert. In 2002 I started painting again and since then have been working in art as a VASA resident artist, working at Art Space for The Learning Centre Literacy Association, and as Artist on the Wards at the University of Alberta Hospitals.

My work has been shown locally in the Edmonton area in the past ten years:   Parkwest Painters Show, The Kings University College, Studio Gallery, the Glenrose Blue Curve Gallery, the Stanley Milner Library, local churches, and in Free for All at the EAG.

About the Art – some thoughts on my journey along the road of life. . .

The heart, the mind and the hand are all involved in art.  We are intentional, purposeful and meaningful in what we make. Art reveals something about our life in this world that hasn’t been shown before.  Art is one way to make a contribution to glorify and honour the Creator who is the true artist.  Art like any every endeavour is subject to that aim – to live in right relationship with the creator and in so doing live in right relationship to our fellow creatures.  That’s how we bring out the true potential of our humanity. Making art helps do that.  Enjoying art and sharing and discussing what we “see” helps do that too.

Art should be seen “live” not virtually or in reproduction.  Go to a gallery or drop by the studio and look, see and connect.  To get the most out of a relationship you have to meet:  see, feel, hear, taste and smell.  Can you love someone that you know only by a photograph?  Can you quench your thirst by looking at a picture of a glass of water?  Come for a visit.

2010 Article on studio Gallery

http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/cityplus/story.html?id=c3237b70-e7b6-462a-bea1-1d23e9bb876a

2011 Review of “Genesis – A Visual Account of Creation”

St Albert Gazette, March 12,2011, Scott Hayes

http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20110312/SAG0307/303129992/-1/sag/creative-creation-series-means-van-veen-is-back

2012 Review of " Palm Trees on Perron"

 http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20120107/SAG0307/301079990/-1/sag/ignore-the-snow-and-ice-vasa-has-palm-trees

Like most artists, I have been painting and making art all my life.  From my precious stash of used, white paper and crayons at 4, to multiple media and products at present; the love of marking up pristine surfaces has never left me.  Growing up in northern BC was a blessing, beautiful landscapes and images, and not a lot of planned activities in the sparsely populated areas around Smithers.  My formative years were spent amusing myself, drawing on trees, drawing trees, ripping birch bark off trees and drawing on that, playing with the pure clay that came up by the shovel-full, and numerous other artistic ways to keep me stimulated.

I have been fortunate to study with artists and be with artists groups in BC, Ontario and Alberta.  I am finding at this point in my life, art is now dominating me and I need to be fully immersed.  I think my real journey is about to take place.

                                                     
          I was born in Montreal, Que. in 1958 and spent most of my youth enjoying its diversity, rich history and culture.  As a young girl I was moved by the joy in my father’s eyes as he drew portraits of family members. He inspired me to put pencil to paper. 

          In 1980 after earning a BSc degree from Concordia University in Montreal I moved to Jasper, Ab.  My intention was to stay for the summer but discovered a wonderful contrast in scenery as well as lifestyle from the city life I had known.   I then spent over two decades of my life experiencing much of what the mountain culture had to offer.  Married to a railroader and raising children in what at times could be an isolated environment nudged me into exploring my creative side.  It is at this point that I reintroduced myself to drawing. Courses in watercolour with local artists Phyllis Jeffreys and Barb Brooks lead to a desire to record in watercolour the magnificent and rugged beauty of the area.

           I have now been a resident of St. Albert, Ab. for a decade and am moved by the opportunities to paint the wide open prairie landscapes as well as the more urban and architectural scenes surrounding me. I have always had a keen interest in portraits and am increasingly drawn to exploring the contemporary still life genre.
                                              
                                                              Artist Statement
 
 When I put paint to paper it’s like the start of an adventure, a road trip.  I enjoy the anticipation of hitting the wide open paper, I pack my imagination and grab my vision and start the creative journey. The watercolour painting process, like an excursion, can sometimes take me down some unexpected routes, at times bringing to light some wonderful sights and other times forcing me to ask for directions.  The mystery of the journey is what keeps me hooked.  Like a vacation I begin by thoroughly planning my paintings almost rehearsing in my mind the route I will take.  This allows me to be very expressive in my paint application, enjoying the spontaneous nature of water media.  Learning to go with the flow, finding joy in the twists and turns of the trip and even getting lost all provide me with a thrill!  If I reach the destination in my art work that’s great but the important thing is to enjoy the ride!
 

                                                             Select Exhibitions

2011          The 32nd Banff Centre Midsummer Ball Exhibit and Auction, Banff Centre.

2011           Live, Work and Play-Articulture-Governor Generals Awards Exhibit, St. Albert, AB.

2010           Oil & Water- Monk & Way-VASA Studio Gallery, St. Albert, AB

2010           Landmarks of St. Albert-VASA Group Show-Studio Gallery, St. Albert, AB.

2009           Open Water- CSPWC-Juried Show, Leighton Centre, Calgary, and AB.  

2009           Edmonton’s Capital Ex-Northwest Originals Gallery

2008           New Works- Solo Show- Mountain Galleries at Fairmont JPL, Jasper, AB.

2008           Tuktu prayers- Group Show-Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB.

2005           Here and There- Solo Show- Studio Gallery, St. Albert, AB.

2001           Tis the Season- Solo Show- Mountain Foods/Artists Own, Jasper, AB

1997           Jasper Memories-Solo Show- Artists Own Gallery, Jasper, AB

1996           Jasper Collection-Group Show-Ortona Gallery, Edmonton, AB

     I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, the only girl among six boys.  In a household full of boy noise, I remember spending many hours in quiet creative pursuit: drawing and coloring, then painting in my teens.  Although my parents did not consider art to be a viable career option, my first artistic mentor was my Dad who, although busy raising and providing for a large family, found time to join me in “quick draw” challenges on quiet weekend afternoons.  I was also inspired by watching television artist Bob Ross create half hour paintings with effortless technique.  These techniques were later to both hinder and influence my artistic journey.
     After high school I enrolled in the fine art program at Grant MacEwan Community College.  I didn’t have a specific direction in mind, just that I wanted to be an artist.  I don’t remember receiving much instruction in how to paint.  Classes were geared more towards the process of developing ideas.  I had a great time, but still hadn’t developed an understanding of how to paint.
     After Grant MacEwan my husband and I moved to south-eastern British Columbia where we pursued an interest in photography.  We set up a darkroom in the apartment and experimented with various black and white techniques.
     When my Dad died in 1999, I was devastated by the loss of my mentor. I had looked forward to spending his retirement years painting together.  This loss influenced me to decide to seriously pursue an art career.  I joined the St. Albert Painters Guild in 2001 and started showing and selling my work at the Guild’s Spring and Fall shows.  In 2007 I joined the Studio Gallery Artist Co-Op and I began working full-time at the studio.
    In November 2008 I had my first solo show, “Out in the Ordinary”, featuring paintings inspired by the Hubble space telescope images.  This show was well received, garnering many positive reviews and the sale of more than half the paintings exhibited.  This series continues to be popular with 18 of 22 paintings sold.
     Sixteen months later, in March 2010, I presented my next series in a solo show “Brush the Sky”.  Inspired by the prairie sky, this series featured 19 paintings of clouds.  Leaving out all terrestrial references, these paintings encouraged the viewer to determine their own orientation and imagery, recalling the times of our childhood when we imagined shapes and characters in the clouds.
     I have been fortunate to have patrons support me by purchasing pieces at each step along my journey.  Through them my work is on display in both local and international collections.  
     I currently work and teach out of my studio in St. Albert.  Since the 2010 solo show I have been working on smaller, individual pieces and commissions.  I am focusing on more representational images – landscapes, still life, wildlife and animals – to strengthen and expand my painting skills. 
     I continue to be active in the St. Albert art community donating my artwork and time for various causes.  I am a member and past director of the Visual Arts Studio Association of St. Albert (VASA) taking workshops and participating in group shows.
     I have an open door policy at my studio, offering mentorship and guidance to visitors as they watch art in process and engage in dialogue.