Joy for Life

Joy For Life mixed media on canvas MEET THE ARTIST: Helen Utsal Helen Utsal is an award winning contemporary landscape painter living and working on Vancouver Island. Spending time in Nature is a critical aspect of her inspiration and practice; a space for meditation, creation and renewal. “I love trees, and all their diversity of shapes, moods and personalities. I don’t seek to reproduce reality, but rather reflect my impressions of the forests. I like using unexpected colours for the joy of painting and also to see the forest through the eyes of a child; a place of wonder and possibilities. Hiking and paddling, I cherish the quiet sounds and stillness. With my camera and my painter's mind, I mark moments; light shining bright and chartreuse on stirring leaves, dramatic light on the water, tangles of roots weaving the land together under my feet. As an artist, it is my privilege to witness and reflect the exceptional Canadian landscape that manages to convey both an ancient power and newborn vitality.” I exhibit my paintings in Solo gallery shows, group shows, art fairs, festivals, art galleries in Canada and the US, and of course my studio gallery in Tintown! I have participated in International Exhibitions in China (Shenzhen, Hangzhou), France (Paris, Orquevaux) and the US (San Diego, Cincinatti). My artwork is in the permanent collection of the Diderot Gallery in Orquevaux, France. I love teaching workshops in my studio and welcome the public every Saturday to visit my studio/gallery in Courtenay. Website: helenutsal.ca Facebook: @utsalhelen Instagram: @helen_utsal_fineart