Biography
Celia was born in Manitoba, Canada and has also lived in Ontario and British Columbia. She has been involved in the arts since she was a young girl, beginning her artistic career when she was four years old in dance and music. Celia started to develop a strong interest in visual arts when she was 10 years old, after winning a first place award for her drawing inspired by Flanders Fields for the Royal Canadian Legion Annual Poster Contest.
Celia has studied arts ongoing, continuing with music and visual arts programs throughout high school and different post secondary institutions. She is a graduate of the Q.E.C.V.I. Creative Arts Focus Program in Kingston, Ontario and most recently has graduated from the Fine Arts University Transfer/Diploma Program at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, British Columbia. Celia has exhibited her works in numerous settings including the group exhibit titled, "In the Art of the City" which she helped organize in Kingston, Ontario and more recently the group exhibit titled, "Do Not Erase" at the Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George, British Columbia. Her work can be found online and in public and private collections in Canada and the United States.
Celia is also interested in hair design, and when not painting, works as a hairstylist out of her home in Kingston, Ontario. She is excited to be back living in the vibrant city of Kingston with her husband and daughter, and to have the ability to get involved with the community and collaborate with local artists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Curriculum Vitae
Group Exhibitions
2010 ~ "Women's Art Festival" ~ City Park ~ Kingston, Ontario
2010 ~ Agnes Etherington Art Center, Art Rental and Gallery ~ Kingston, Ontario
2010 ~ "9th Annual Juried Art Salon" ~ Wilson Room, Kingston Public Library ~ Kingston, Ontario
2010 ~ "Emerging Artists of Kingston" ~ Wellington Street Theatre Gallery ~ Kingston, Ontario
2009 ~ "Women's Art Festival" ~ City Park ~ Kingston, Ontario
2009 ~ "Do Not Erase" ~ Two Rivers Gallery ~ Prince George, British Columbia
2009 ~ "Relationships" ~ College of New Caledonia ~ Prince George, British Columbia
2008 ~ "Bring Me That Horizon" ~ College of New Caledonia ~ Prince George, British Columbia
2007-2008 ~ Meow Records ~ Prince George, British Columbia
2001 ~ "In the Art of the City" ~ Kingston, Ontario
Public Collections
College of New Caledonia Public Art Collection ~ Prince George, British Columbia
Awards and Mentorships
2010-2011 ~ Art Shift ~ Union Gallery ~ Kingston, Ontario
1993 ~ Royal Canadian Legion Annual Poster Contest ~ 1st Place, Junior Category ~ Kingston, Ontario
Memberships
Visual Arts Ontario ~ Member since 2008
Kingston Arts Council ~ Member since 2009
CARFAC Ontario ~ Member since 2009
Modern Fuel Artist-Run Center ~ Member since 2010
Union Gallery ~ Member since 2010
Education and Workshops
April 2009 ~ Fine Arts University Transfer Diploma (with honors) ~ College of New Caledonia ~ Prince George, British Columbia
October 3rd 2008 ~ Golden Workshop ~ Prince George, British Columbia
September 2001 ~ Color Theory and Perception ~ St. Lawrence College ~ Kingston, Ontario
September 2001 ~ Design Concepts ~ St. Lawrence College ~ Kingston, Ontario
September 2001 ~ Life Drawing ~ St. Lawrence College ~ Kingston, Ontario
June 2001 ~ Focus Arts Program ~ Q.E.C.V.I. ~ Kingston, Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Artist’s Statement
"I am inspired by nature and the human condition, and that forms the basis for most of my work.
I take a mixed media approach with all of my paintings. My creative process often includes a collage of handmade paper, fabric, acrylic paint and mediums. I also integrate frottage, drawing mediums such as pastels and objects from nature that have been found or given to me at some point in my life journey.
My previous works (2007-2008) have not focused on a specific theme, rather than random feelings, inspirations and experiences that have captured my imagination that I wished to share on canvas.
In my recent works (2009-2010)I have been experimenting more in depth with multiple layers, varied texture, symbols, strong line and vibrant color, to create a more complex series of works that just like the layers of life, cannot be decoded or understood with a quick glance. By venturing outside of my "box" I am able to break free of old habits and patterns. By creating, I exhibit my gifts and purpose in life, hopefully inspiring viewers to dwell deeper and to find their own interpretation and meaning in my work."