Painting the landscapes and places I love is how I express what they mean to me. I live on the beautiful Saugeen Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada in the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. I’ve spent my life enjoying the outdoors and the waters surrounding this very special piece of land. Its diversity is my muse, inspiring me to convey the emotions our various interactions with cherished places can stir.
I work primarily in soft pastels and oils from my home studio in the small lakeside community of Oliphant, ON on the peninsula’s west coast. I frequently paint from observation and find painting en plein air one of the most satisfying outdoor experiences I’ve ever had, as I also have a love for hiking, biking, paddling, kitesurfing and cross-country skiing. As is the case with my previously published fiction for children and adults, my paintings depict the things I notice and experience when immersed in the outdoors with my family and friends.
I am constantly in search of ways to best convey my feelings of awe, joy, and sometimes simply the peaceful solitude that the landscape and the ways we interact with it can bring. It is my hope that these expressions of love for my surroundings will resonate with your appreciation of the landscapes you enjoy or cherish as well.
Thank you for visiting my website and exploring my work.
Recognitions
2023
Accepted as an "Active Member" of the Federation of Canadian Artists, 2023
1st in Show, in “Just The Best” - A Shoreline Artists Exhibition held at the Southampton Art Gallery, Southampton, ON, 2023
People’s Choice Award, in “Just the Best” - A Shoreline Artists Exhibition held at the Southampton Art Gallery, 2023
Exhibitions
2024 Landscapes Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists, Online Exhibition, 2024.
PastelArtists.ca, 11th Annual Online Pastel Exhibition, 2023
Donna C. Stewart: Shorescapes: Studies of Lake Huron’s Coast, Deep Water Gallery, Wiarton, ON, 2023
Limitless Online Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, B.C., 2023
Spotlight 2022, Federation Gallery, Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, B.C., 2022
Portraits of Resilience Project, The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, ON, 2022
Holiday Artists Co-Op Shop, Deep Water Gallery, Wiarton, ON, 2022
Press
Books
Paddle to Rattlesnake Island
Splash into a camping adventure and learn to kayak with Katie and Matt in Paddle to Rattlesnake Island. This early chapter book is #1 in the Brucedale Backpackers series of outdoor adventure stories for young readers.
