I grew up in the Scarborough Bluffs of Toronto, Ontario as a very creative kid right from the start. I attended Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts for High School, and went on to do my undergraduate degree at the University of Guelph with a major in Zoology, with a minor in Studio Art (the minor remains unfinished). I have always had a passion for the arts and animals/wildlife. I am lucky that I get to express these two passions of mine in such a unique way. 

I create acrylic paintings of wildlife depicted with intricate colour palettes. I am a true creative, using the right side of my brain to carefully select whichever colour scheme I feel is best suited for the subject, in order to bring each painting to life. In other words, I like to have fun with the use of colours in my work!

My work brings a sense of joy into people’s lives through the wildly playful nature of every piece. Through each colourful stroke of fur, each detail of the eye, I paint what I see—just with a more vibrant perspective. This perspective is one I carry with me beyond my paintings as I go about my days, and the vibrant outlook, in turn, transfers from the canvas into the homes of my art collectors. The painting always starts off a little rough around the edges, but as time goes on and layers are added ever so intentionally, the piece slowly but surely becomes more refined. I like to leave it a touch wild, because what would a wildlife painting be without the wild?

I love to sneak surprising colours into the mix—ones that might catch your eye if you’re paying close enough attention. And just maybe, that speck of colour in the vast array of brush strokes might make you smile. If at the very least you’re left with a smirk, a tilted head, a sparkle in your eye or a glimmer of joy, then I have succeeded. That is why I paint; when we can stop for a moment to be engulfed in a painting, or get lost in the beauty of nature, I believe this moment of being absolutely present, is good for the soul.

 
- Mandy