I grew up painting with Acrylics, but always admired my mom’s sweet watercolour paintings inspired by the Dutch watercolourist Marjolein Bastin. When I found her old watercolour palette I started to experiment, copying work that I had admired. It wasn’t until I started studying at Willowbank and needed a way to make some extra cash, that I came up with the idea of painting house commissions.
A watercolour painting in process of The Brown Homestead in St. Catharine's, Ontario.
The houses I painted taught me how to paint in detail, have patience, and reminded me of the importance of composition - it was my art training in a way. I spent so much time day after day painting house portraits that it really did teach me so much without even realizing. Although I love house paintings & still paint them to this day, I new from the beginning this was a way for me to start & practice getting more comfortable with selling my art. All along, I had wanted to find my own art style and direction. I tried many different things, and studied illustrators works that I admired. I thought that my calling was to paint subject matter that I admire from others. To be like Tasha Tudor or Beatrix Potter, maybe even Lore Pemberton. Although, something wasn't aligning so I began to think of my background and what I love.
A few of my watercolour illustrations.
Even though I love sweet illustrations I thought about what it is about them I admire. It was the little day to day moments captured in them around the home. I went to school for Interior Design, I love setting up little vignettes and I love residential interiors ( especially the old decrepit ones full of character ). I am a big fan of home and the way it can make you feel when you have curated it to suit yourself and your family. So I went back to Acrylics and bright colours and had some fun painting the interiors around me. I loved this & had so much fun, but when I discovered oil painting something changed for me.
A group of fun and colourful little acrylic paintings.
It was like the visions in my mind finally started to come out on canvas the way I saw them in my head - oil allowed for my dreams to be translated into tangible and visual things. The way the paint moved and blended, it just spoke to me. I think about painting all day every day, and some days all I aspire to do is paint and practice. To plant a garden, set up a home and paint these subjects all day long. Doesn't that sound dreamy? Haha! Back to reality - finding my style and direction will be a never ending journey I am sure, but it has been so liberating ever since I started dabbling in oil. There is so much to learn, and I am so excited by the thought of it all.
My first official oil painting of my parents living room from May 2023.
Me in my first studio space, when we moved to London last spring.
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