Hello, I’m Chantal and I am an artist, writer, poet and published author. I work mainly in watercolour, acrylic and pen, finding joy, fascination and deep satisfaction through the creative process by following the what -if’s, happy accidents and possibilities.

My work is a playful exploration of the outer world as seen through the lens of my inner world, examining the tension and the harmony of this relationship as human nature meets Mother Nature. These elements merge and interact in a visual dialogue of abstracted layers and intuitive expressions through colour, line and form. It is a delicate balance of opposites, the real and the imagined, the static and the fluid that inform the conversation, invite contemplation and create a sense of wonder and intrigue.

In the past, a painting would begin with a plan, a clear direction and a predictable destination. Fast forward to 2016, when the unpredictable showed up in my life—a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. This shake up prompted not only a shift but a re-invention, in my art and in my life, reigniting a creative process that had grown stale. The realism I had focused on felt tight and restrictive. I craved a more expansive form of expression with freedom to be me. To echo the words of a young artist I know, “I’m just following my heart.” The process of making art is all about play and how the playfulness feels intuitively as I experiment with materials, exploring through colour, shapes, marks and texture.  

Born in the UK, I grew up in the Toronto area after emigrating to Canada with my parents as a young child. I now make my home on the shores of Georgian Bay in beautiful Collingwood, Ontario. My artistic journey began with my first box of crayons, it continued under the direction of an exceptional high school art teacher and on to Sheridan College as I studied Illustration. I have been captivated by art ever since and never more so than following the Parkinson’s diagnosis. 

My work has been featured in several exhibitions both locally and internationally. I was also honoured with the Murray J. Clerkson Artist Award in 2021. As well, I created the cover and interior illustrations for “The Magic of Special Children” published in 2021.

During the pandemic, a rediscovered love of poetry led me to pursue my own writing which culminated in a book, Painted Words, Poetry, Art and Parkinson’s, a collection of my art and poems, published in 2022. It is an exploration of self-expression that seeks to celebrate, reflect and honour the mysteries and complexities of being human.