Spotlight On: Flora and Fauna
The natural world of living things - flowers, plants, animals, insects - is an incredible wonder that inspires us all. This remarkable group of artists choose to reflect that inspiration through their medium of choice - paint, drawing, printmaking, or photography. It’s interesting to note how some have narrowed down their particular fascination quite specifically, while others cover the subject matter a little more broadly… some translate what they see literally, others in a more abstracted way. We hope you enjoy browsing this collection as much as we do.
Kaitlin Johnson
I love working with images of flowers and plants because I find them to be joyous and full of beauty. I love the organic shapes of petals and leaves and the open spaces in between them. I enjoy pushing my work beyond realism where I aim to capture an energy instead- this allows me to explore endless possibilities of colour, texture, and pattern.
Elle Belz
My surroundings at home/my studio and living in a wooden area in the country invite all kinds of special experiences that I draw from everyday. From the fog, to the aftermath of a rainstorm to a sunny day, I live it everyday and it's ingrained in my memory.
I’m hoping to be able to sharpen all the colour nuances that are true to nature and translate them into my canvas. True colours and tones are very important to me as it is the one thing the viewers connect to that makes the experience real.
explore Elle’s work
Sarah Hillock
Lucie Leduc
Marie-Elaine Lalonde
I am interested in the processes of transformation of matter. In my works, I try to reveal the physiological structures of various plants parts; (petals, flowers, seeds, leaves, roots) in relation to the site where they come from.
In the Morphogénèse series, the elements of flora are represented as vast hydrographic territories. The microscopic scale tilts to a geological scale.
Whereas in the Géosmose series, the plant segments are embedded in the relief of mountains affiliating the mineral to the vegetal.
Angie To
The subject of my paintings has been botanical in nature for some time. At first flowers and plant life were some of the most abundant and easy to find things to paint, but as I got deeper and deeper into looking at the landscape surrounding my home I realized that each flower and tree possessed an infinite trove of color and pattern. I love to paint flowers and leaves because they have such rich surfaces and the colors of even one wildflower is joyous and startlingly complex.
Amy Dryer
Nicole Allen
Finding artistic influence in the vibrant chaos of the floral, Nicole explores the concept of life's inner intelligence and yearning through the graphic, interrelated patterns of the organic world. Perceiving a mirroring of humanity's messy, layered and at times unbalanced existence within the still life, she is driven to echo this energy through her painting.
Paul Eekhoff
Paul Schibli
I am constantly mesmerized by the beauty of the nature that surrounds me regardless of where I am. The play of light on a peony blossom, the light that creeps into the shadows of a forest landscape, the subtle or bold colours that reveal themselves, all hold my fascination. It is both exhilarating and frustrating. This is what I attempt too capture in my painting.
Stephanie Fehrenbach
I'm drawn to flowers for their obvious beauty. Their colours, their shapes, the rhythm of their petals, leaves and stems - I want to capture all their curving movements. I like how they change rapidly and are only here with us for a brief moment, always searching for the sun. To me, they are beautiful celebrations of life. I love to work quickly and spontaneously, playing with thick oil textures to build many layers over time. The smooth, buttery blends of colour are so satisfying and create a three-dimensional look that enhances the sense of the blooms being fully alive.
Annette Kraft van Ermel
The sophistication of nature never ceases to amaze me and inspires me to no end..
The way that all of the elements work together in an effort to survive and reproduce is absolutely magical to me.
If I can capture some of this beauty, colour and energy in my work then I feel I have succeeded as an artist.
Cody Greco
Tammy Ratcliff
Through my mixed print monotype works I find a means to explore my continued fascination with the natural world – its strength and beauty – while drawing attention to the imperfections and impermanence of all living things. The “perfect” asymmetry in nature, the odd shaped spaces between branches or the awkward curl of one petal of a flower is where my curiosity takes root.
Heather Millar
What draws me to creating wildlife is the feeling of “look but don’t touch”. I’m always left feeling enormously grateful for the opportunity to be an insignificant observer, and in a way, relieved that nature can carry on with or without us. It’s truly a humbling feeling to be able to observe nature and see the beauty that is embedded deep within, and in the end do my best to re-create it on canvas so that I can share my interpretation with the world.
