About

Hey there, I’m Theresa

I paint the Western Canadian landscape & things that grow and thrive off the land to bring you a feeling of being there.

I believe nature is one of our great healers. Its effects on our mind and body promote calm, clarity, balance and aliveness.

British Columbia is a never-ending source of inspiration.

I live in the Okanagan Valley where incredible views are the norm. I’ve been captivated with the landscape since moving here in the 90’s.

Mountains, pine trees and wildflowers are a few things that consistently show up in my paintings.

Many of the photos I paint are taken while wandering nearby trails. I like to bring them back to the studio and infuse with bold colors to reflect the feeling of a place.

My greatest joy in making art comes from transporting you to experience the landscape in a new and exciting way.

My work can be found in private collections across Canada and the US.

To stay in touch & receive updates about newly released paintings, become part of my insiders circle.

From then to now…

As a child I spent countless hours at the kitchen table drawing, colouring and paint-by-numbering until the table was needed for dinner.

Being creative was where I felt most relaxed and at home.

My first foray into painting came at twelve years old with a rare opportunity to take a 6-week course with a local artist.

My parents drove me every Sunday to the artist’s log home studio on an acreage outside our prairie town.

This is where I began to discover the magic of paint… its creamy consistency, delighting in new colors as they were mixed.

It’s where I created my first self portrait and my first abstract painting… a memorable class that forever left its mark.

The possibilities seemed endless and that was truly exciting.

The spark continued as I painted and drew throughout my teens. At twenty, after a year studying everything but art at college, I decided it was time to apply to art school.

It gave me butterflies to even think about. This was something I’d always wanted and it meant so much.

But the only thing I got was rejection letters… it was heart-breaking to say the least.

My will to make art stayed strong though. I had never been so sure of anything in my life. I was an artist. I had to create. 

As things moved forward, I worked and went back to college. After long days I’d try to fit in late-night art sessions in my bedroom hidden from roommates.

I was a closet artist at the time, but eventually that would change…

By my mid-twenties I began selling paintings – it was eye-opening as I watched people approach my booth with joy and awe.

This brought a whole new realization to why I make art – creating that type of experience for people made my heart sing.

Still, my art-making practice remained part-time because of the pressure to have a secure job. I completed my training in digital design and worked as a graphic designer for close to 15 years.

During this time, my artist calling never faded.

In fact it weighed heavily in the background, especially as my workload increased and there was little time to make art.

In a bold move, I quit my day job to focus completely on art.

It’s now been over 30 years since that pivotal painting class and am incredibly grateful to be a full time artist. My childhood dream has been realized.

I practice in my home studio just three blocks from the nearest hiking trail, in the heart of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Every day the beauty of this region brings so much inspiration – something I’m happy to share with you through each new piece that emerges from my easel.

~ Theresa