Bio

Laurie’s contemporary, process driven painting is largely inspired by the interactions of colour, shape and application. She was born in Toronto and studied fine art at the University of Waterloo. She has been an active member of the art community for over twenty years, regularly participating in shows such as the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair and International  Art Fairs in London, Seoul, New York, Hamburg and Hong Kong. Laurie’s work is included in private and public collections across North America, Europe and Asia. She works from her studio in Guelph Ontario.

Laurie teaches sessions at the Guelph School of Art, Elora Centre for the Arts, The Hive in Alton Mills and a week long intensive during the summer at the Wellington County Museum. She offers private and semi-private classes in her studio. The focus is on building a visual vocabulary of tools and techniques while further establishing each participant’s unique voice.

I am intrigued by the formal vocabulary of painting; the interaction of shapes, colours and lines, the materiality of paint, and the myriad ways they coalesce. These indexes of forms and applications are the building blocks of my work, and through my career have presented me with near limitless opportunities for exploration. Over time, I have come to regard painting both as an act – a dedicated practice I inhabit – and as a destination; a place that feeds my intellectual curiosity and my artistic spirit. I am endlessly fascinated by the way an idea that is at first intangible, becomes material through the act of making. I am also intrigued by how the creative process (and its dance of trial and error, accident and edit) can offer new directions or different resolutions from previous work. My new pieces are driven by a certain liberation from standard formats and ultimately a trust in the process to suggest a way forward. As a result, shapes and forms once prevalent in my two-dimensional work are taking on a more material, three-dimensional character and presence. They are what I would call painting hybrids, where surface and colour are viewed through a more expansive, sculptural lens.

 During the past few years, the development of this body of work of intimately sized wall sculptures has acted as a form of meditation and self-awareness.  I found over time that I could lose myself in the creation of each piece, while steadying my mind and emotions in colour play and paint application. I began to experiment with beveled edges in the production of the forms, departing from the relative weightiness of the previous work. I think my process was an attempt to inject a metaphoric lightness into the work, as the application of fluorescent edges made the pieces visually float. This shift in the handling of the edges was a breakthrough for me, in that it created a lively, dynamic dialogue between the work and the wall, between the art and its immediate context. The colourful reflection feels to me like an aura of optimism and resilience.

Curriculum Vitae

Gallery Representation:

The Drey Gallery, Berlin and Toronto

Charline Kervyn Contemporary Art, Ghent Belgium

Spence Gallery, Toronto ON

Solo Shows

Spence Gallery, Toronto ON "Glow", 2022

Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art, Guelph ON, "Reflections", 2021

Feature Artist at Wyndham Art Supplies, Guelph ON, 2020

 Elora Centre for the Arts, Elora ON, "Journey Into Process",2019 

DeFacto Gallery Solo Show, Hamilton ON, 2018

Select Exhibitions:

2022

Scope Miami

Social Space - Group Show, Hamilton ON

Affordable Art Fair Hamburg Germany

Charline Kervyn Gallery, Ghent Belgium

Two Person Show at The Drey Gallery, Toronto

Seattle Art Fair 

Solo Show at Spence Gallery, Toronto

Art Market San Francisco 

Square Yard Show at Paul Elia Gallery, Hamilton

Art Gallery of Hamilton Show and Sale

Toronto Artist Project

Busan Annual Art Market, Korea 

2021

Scope Miami

Affordable Art Fair Battersea London 

Guelph Studio Tour

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF)

Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art, Guelph ON, "Reflections", (Solo)  

OSA 148th Annual Juried Show, Virtual

VAM 43 Juried Show, Art Gallery of Mississauga

2020

Feature Artist at Wyndham Art Supplies Guelph ON

Affordable Art Fair (Online) NYC 

Guelph Studio Tour

Renann Isaacs Gallery - Curated Group Show as a companion to the Guelph Studio Tour

Big Ideas Show at Paula White Diamond Gallery, Waterloo ON

Queen West Virtual Art Show

Toronto Outdoor (Online) Art Fair

Guelph Art on the (Virtual) Street

Congruence Summer Online Show

VAM 42nd Annual Juried Show, Art Gallery of Mississauga 

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

2019

Holiday Open House

 "Journey Into Process", Elora Centre for the Arts, (solo)

PAINT - Curated Show at John B Aird Gallery Toronto

Affordable Art Fair London UK 

Elora Fergus Studio Tour

Guelph Studio Tour

Three Person Show at Shane Norrie Contemporary, Stratford

Summer 2019, RICA Gallery, Guelph

Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Nathan Phillips Square

Unmade - Curated Show at Propeller Gallery Toronto

Insights Juried Show, Wellington Museum

Art in the Street, Guelph

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

West Hamilton Artist Tour (WHAT)

Art Gallery of Hamilton Spring Sale

2018

Holiday Open House

Gesture and Geometry, 3 Person Show at Elora Centre for the Arts

SOFA Art Expo, Chicago 

Affordable Art Fair London UK 

Guelph Studio Tour

Elora Fergus Studio Tour

Toronto Outdoor Art Fair

Insights Show, Wellington County Museum

Guelph Art in the Street

Riverdale Art Walk Toronto

Affordable Art Fair London UK 

Feature Artist at Jordan Gallery

West Hamilton Artist Tour

Open Studio, Elora Centre for the Arts

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

DeFacto Gallery Solo Show, Hamilton ON

2017

Annual Holiday Open Studio, Guelph ON

Affordable Art Fair Singapore 

Affordable Art Fair London UK 

Guelph Studio Tour, Guelph ON

PEC Studio Tour, Prince Edward County ON

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

Solo Show at Redbrick Cafe in Guelph ON

Art in the Yard, Elora ON

Art on the Street, Guelph ON

Insights 2017 Wellington County Museum and Archives

Riverdale Art Walk Toronto

Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead UK 

West Hamilton Artists Tour (WHAT)

"Seeking" Two person show with Mary Karavos at Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre

"Four Walls Four Artists" Elora Centre for the Arts

2016

Holiday Open Studio Sale, Guelph ON

Hear Here, Toronto's Premier Salon

Square Foot Show, Julia Veenstra Gallery, Hamilton ON

Paula White Diamond Gallery Group Show, Waterloo ON

Group Show at Crescent Hill Gallery

Affordable Art Fair UK 

Guelph Studio Tour

Affordable Art Fair NYC 

PEC Studio Tour

Affordable Art Fair Seoul Korea 

Impact 2016, Nielson Park Creative Centre

Art in the Street, Guelph ON

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

Affordable Art Fair Hamstead UK 

Two Person Show at PWD Gallery Waterloo ON

Riverdale Art Walk Toronto

Art Busan Korea w/ Spence gallery

Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 

West Hamilton Artists Tour

"Exhibit Eh" The Painting Center NYC

Art Gallery of Hamilton Spring Show and Sale

Art Wynwood Miami 

2015

Paula White Diamond Gallery Group Show, Waterloo ON

Art San Diego with Spence Gallery

Capacitance, Guelph ON

Affordable Art Fair London UK 

.Guelph Studio Tour

Hear Here, Toronto ON
Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

Cabbagetown Art Fair, Toronto ON

Affordable Art Fair, NYC 

Arts on Queen, Feature ArtistGuelph Art on the Street

Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto ON

Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 

WHAT Hamilton Studio Tour

Toronto Artist Project

Twist Gallery Abstract Group Show, Toronto ON

2014

Paula White Diamond Gallery Group Show, Waterloo ON

MJG Gallery Group Show, Toronto

Guelph Studio Tour

Cabbagetown Art Festival, Toronto ON

Guelph Art on the Street

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

Rittenhouse Fine Art Show Philadelphia PA

WHAT West Hamilton Artist Tour

Open Studio Show and Sale Guelph

Toronto Art Expo

Toronto Artists Project

2013

Art Gallery of Hamilton Show and Sale

Outside the Lines Group Show, Hamilton ON

Open Studio Show, Guelph ON

Art in the Street, Guelph ON

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

The New Art Festival, Ottawa ON

Solo show at Red Brick Cafe, Guelph ON

RAW Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto ON

West Hamilton Artist Tour, Hamilton ON

Speakeasy Spring Art Fair, Toronto ON

Art Gallery of Hamilton Spring Sale

Toronto Artists Project

2012

One of a Kind Holiday Show Toronto

Alone Together, Group Show at Artscape Triangle Lofts Gallery, Toronto ON

Mary Allen Studio Tour, Waterloo ON

Queen West Art Crawl, Toronto ON

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

Barnes Art Market Toronto ON

SpeakEasy Fine Art Show at the Gladstone

Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto ON

“Flux” at the Gladstone, Toronto ON

Propeller Gallery, “Stolen Moments” with Colourshift Collective

The Artists Project, Toronto ON

Solo Show at Albion Hotel, Guelph ON

2011

Toronto One of a Kind Show

Feature artist at Arts on King, Toronto ON

Up Art at the Gladstone, Toronto ON

Queen West Art Crawl, Toronto ON

“Bright Lights Big City” at the Gladstone Hotel with Colourshift Collective

Oakville Art in the Park

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition “TOAE”

RAW Riverdale Art Walk Toronto ON

Speakeasy at the Gladstone, Toronto ON

W.H.A.T Hamilton Studio Tour

The Artist Project Toronto ON

Colourshift Collective Group Show
“New Growth” Gallery 1313 Toronto ON

Colourshift Collective Group Show
“Abstraction”
Ben Navaee Gallery, Toronto ON

2010

One of a Kind Show, Toronto ON

Ebar solo show, Guelph ON (Sept - Jan 2/11)

Art Gallery of Hamilton Fall Show, Hamilton ON

Queen West Art Crawl, Toronto ON

Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto ON

Sunnyside Beach Show, Toronto ON

Salon des Refuses, Toronto ON

Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto ON

WHAT West Hamilton Artist Tour, Hamilton ON

The Artist Project Toronto ON

2009

Art Gallery of Hamilton Show and Sale, Hamilton ON

Art Off the Lot, Toronto ON

Queen West Art Crawl, Toronto ON

Cabbage Town Art Festival, Toronto ON

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto ON

Riverdale Art Walk Toronto ON

2008

Queen West Art Crawl, Toronto ON

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto ON

Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto ON

Stitch ‘n Kitsch Spring Show & Sale, Waterloo ON

Five Lights Gallery, Guelph ON

Hanna’s Bella Bistro, Waterloo ON

2007

Stitch ‘n Kitsch Christmas Show & Sale, Waterloo, ON

Artworks Show & Sale, Kitchener, ON

Stitch ‘n Kitsch Show & Sale, Waterloo, ON

Hanna’s Bella Bistro, Waterloo, ON

Artworks Spring Show & Sale, Kitchener, ON

Other

Brighton Yards Studio Tour, 2006 Waterloo, ON

ASAP (Available Space Art Project) Kitchener Tourist Info Centre, 2006

Princess Twin Cinema, 2005 Waterloo, ON

ECH Front Gallery, U of W Third Year Painting Show, Waterloo, ON

ECH Front Gallery, U of W Group Show, 1999, Waterloo, ON

Corporate Collections

The Art Gallery of Guelph

The Aimia Collection

Awards and Residencies:

2022 - Curated Top 10 List for Affordable Art Fair Hamburg by Hannah Weber-Heidenfels

2021 - Honourable Mention, Art Matters 4 - Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne Germany

2021 - Vermont Studio Centre Residency

2021 - Curated Collection by Micah Lexier. Either Alone Or In Some Combination, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Online Exhibiton

2021 - Curated Collection by Danielle Krysa. A Perfect Mix, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Online Exhibiton

2020 - Curated Collection by Oluseye. Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Online Exhibiton

2020 - Honourable Mention, Art Matters 3 - Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne Germany

2018-2019 - EloraCentre for the Arts - Artist in Residence 

2018 - Best in Show, Art in the Street Guelph 

2017 - Honourable Mention, Art in the Street Guelph 

2014 - Honourable Mention, Cabbagetown Art Festival, Toronto

2013 - Best in Show at Riverdale Art Walk, Toronto 

1996-2000 - Dean's Honour List, U of W 

1999 - Barbara Edwards Fine Art Memorial Award, U of W 

Artist Talks

Art Gallery of Burlington 2017

Education:

University of Waterloo, Honours Fine Art ~ Studio Specialization 1996-2000

Print:

Canvas Rebel Interview

Shout Out Socal 


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