Biography
Art and the creative process have been constants throughout Cecile’s life.
Growing up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she developed an early love for color and form, which she expressed through drawing and painting.
This passion led her to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Manitoba in 1987, followed by a diploma in Advertising Art from Red River College in 1991.
After moving to Calgary, Alberta, she pursued a successful career in graphic design. However, her dedication to fine art never faded. In 2014, she transitioned from graphic design to painting full-time, focusing on developing portfolios of work that she is excited to exhibit.
For Cecile, the creative process is just as significant as the final piece. Painting is a deeply immersive and sensory experience, allowing her to channel emotion and intuition onto the canvas. Her distinctive, whimsical style aims to captivate viewers, drawing them into a world of color, movement, and energy.
Working primarily with acrylic and oil on canvas, she explores visual, emotional, and tactile experiences. Whether creating large or small abstract impressionist pieces, her foremost goal is to express the beauty and vibrancy she perceives in her subjects.
Artist Statement
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the evolution of life and its ever-changing energy.
This curiosity has led me to choose nature—predominantly forest landscapes—as the primary subject of my art. Their organic qualities serve as a vehicle for exploring deeper concepts, allowing me to search for meaning and a greater understanding of my environment.
After a lifetime of training in visual art, I now approach painting intuitively, using nature as a lens to interpret life. My compositions embrace both beauty and unpredictability, reflecting the dual nature of existence. Through color, shape, movement, and composition, I follow nature’s lead—assembling and dismantling elements on the canvas to create dynamic, expressive works.
Inspired by the Impressionists, Cubists, and Abstract Expressionists, I bring my own unrestrained mark to contemporary art, a style I call Refractionism™.
My work spans a full range of emotions and thoughts, from serene to awe-inspiring, with the intention of sparking curiosity and reflection in both mind and spirit.