NWT Arts

I alternate between drawings and painting. Over the years, I found myself gravitating towards painting and drawing objects from my surrounding, rather than portraits or landscapes. When it comes to style, I try to get as close to realism as possible, with a macro focus on flowers, candles, and other compelling subjects.

I used to do a lot of acrylic painting on canvas, and now I have moved towards matte pencil artwork. The pencils that I use are very rich, which means I can achieve deep, dark blacks. That’s my favourite new tool. In some of my pieces, I incorporate graphite powder, which allows me to cover large areas, creating a soft blurry effect that I really enjoy.

I’ve been drawing since I could pick up a crayon to draw all over things! Fortunately, my parents have always been encouraging of my interest in art. I took any art classes I could in high school and did a preparatory college certificate in art and graphic design. I also did a year of Fine Arts school before deciding to pursue other ventures. Those few years of studies have given me important foundational learning. Since then, I’ve been experimenting on my own with various materials, and playing around with techniques I’ve learned online.

My family has always been really supportive of what I do. Some of the pieces I have made have been inspired by them and what we’ve experienced together through the years. I’ve been sticking with painting objects instead of scenes, but the tone has changed a lot in my work over time. I used to work with a lot of bright colours, and I don’t know if it’s related to my taste changing or the influence of life events, but I have recently been leaning towards darker tones. It might change again, but I thing I’ll always be interested in drawing objects that feel relevant to what is happening in my life at that time. .

I work from images that I find online or my own photographs, based on what I want to draw or paint. I always work from a reference because it helps me make sense of things as I go, even though I rarely start my projects with a formal plan. I might collage a few things together on my iPad, and then I build my painting or drawing little by little. I tend to go with wherever my interest and attention take me. The hard part is to know when it’s done!

I create art because I don’t know what I would do without it! I have a really regimented day job, so I need an outlet to be creative. If I wasn’t drawing or painting, I’d be trying to sew or knit. I’ve always been looking for creative projects to occupy myself with. I just love making art.

What I like the most about being creative is that it’s a great stress-reliever. It’s a way to channel whatever is going on in my life into something that is important to me. I put some music on, I sit down, and I can lose myself for hours working on an art piece. In the end, it also makes me feel good when people react positively to something that I have made.