Stares hosting Laurie O'Reilly

Artist Inspiration

This piece was painted in early April 2020. It was a time of fear, loneliness and depression. We were told not to go for walks, not to visit with anyone who didn’t live in our house, not to go for a drive or a boat ride because if we had an accident there would be no first responders who could get to us. We were isolated, our elderly parents were isolated and our children and friends were isolated. This piece speaks to those feelings of isolation and loss. The words of the poem began to fade and that seemed appropriate. However, two and a half years later, we are visiting with our children our aging parents and our friends. The birds are back. The sun is shining and the river and lakes call. We know that things are not back to normal but the opportunities for renewed; contact with friends and family and joy of outdoor exploration, feel like a renewal of spirit and hope and this painting reminds me of the journey that we took to get here.

Artist Bio

I was raised, in Niagara Falls and Toronto. As a young adult, after a parochial education bereft of art, and rife with discipline, I traveled extensively, seeing the world and participating in other cultures. Returning to Canada I received a BSc, from Guelph University, which gave me hands on experience in form, function, physiology and ecology. A minor in Fine Art helped me develop some of my technical skills. I have participated in 3 curated gallery shows, juried shows, city sponsored exhibitions, local gallery exhibitions and studio tours. I have lectured on encaustic practices, run workshops, and contributed to a U.S. juried art publication.

My art is narrative driven. After portraying children, and youth, as vulnerable members of society, I have begun observing our planet with a similar sensibility.

I am an observer; by using paint, mixed media, and constructs, I become a story teller. Telling stories compels me to problem solve. Whether my mind wants to solve emotional or intellectual problems, or my hands want to solve construction puzzles, the need to problem solve drives my sensibilities, my thinking and my narrations.

When, what I am observing in the present, whether vulnerable members of society or fragile ecosystems, meshes with my past life experiences, I am motivated to devise artistic methods that can help me work through the angst that these overlaps bring to the fore, and tell the stories that I see and feel.

https://brushandpen.ca/