I THRIVE USING centuries-old techniques of Chinese Brush painting AND (Japanese) SUMI-E, RESPECTING THE many rules and technical requirements, yet creating my own CANADIAN style.
RADIANT BEAMS 36”h x 24”w Chinese Brush Paint on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished with cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints Radiant Beams captures the ethereal beauty of the Aurora Borealis sweeping across the vast Canadian night sky. At the heart of the scene stands a small log cabin, larger and more defined with its snow-covered roof glistening beneath the shimmering lights. Warm golden tones from its windows spill across the snow, a gentle counterpoint to the cool hues of the northern night. This welcoming glow draws the viewer inward, a beacon of comfort amid the serene expanse of wilderness. The cabin, though modest, becomes the emotional center of the composition, symbolizing warmth, endurance, and humanity’s quiet presence within nature’s grandeur. In the foreground, an obscured figure of a lone cross-country skier glides silently through the snow, their movement faint but perceptible. Their path curves away from the cabin, leaving delicate tracks that dissolve into light. The solitary skier adds a note of mystery and life, a reminder of human connection within this radiant solitude. Radiant Beams evokes a world where stillness and vitality coexist, and where nature’s performance speaks directly to the soul.
INTO THE REALM 40”hx26”w Chinese Brush Painting on Iwami White (Japanese washi/ paper) on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished with cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints Into the Realm is where 3 red-crowned cranes soar through a forest in a realm where myth, spirit, and time intertwine. In both Chinese and Japanese cultures, the crane is a sacred symbol of longevity, fidelity, and transcendence. Its flight is often seen as a passage between worlds; from birth to life, from union to love, and finally, from life to eternity. These three cranes embody the three vital stages of human existence.
THE NOBLEMAN 30”hx24”w Chinese Brush Paint on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints In The Nobleman, a single red-crowned crane bows gracefully toward the forest as a gesture of deep respect and unity with nature. Behind him, two other cranes rise in silent flight, symbolizing the continuity of life. In Chinese and Japanese traditions, the red-crowned crane is revered as a messenger of longevity, fidelity, and transcendence. Here, the lead crane, portrayed as a nobleman, embodies dignity and humility; qualities that honor life’s three essential passages: birth, marriage, and death. The forest, veiled in luminous mist, represents both the mystery of existence and the harmony between worlds. Layers of Chinese ink and Japanese pigments merge seamlessly, reflecting the coexistence of two ancient cultures. The noble crane’s red lowered head signifies reverence; not submission but understanding of one’s place within the greater order of nature. Through quiet grace and restrained movement, The Nobleman invites contemplation on life’s fleeting beauty and enduring spirit. It is a meditation on respect between human and nature, cultures, and beginning and end all captured in the serene bow of a single, noble crane.
SILENT NIGHT 30”hx22”w; Chinese Ink on Washi (Japanese paper); on washi, 7/8” birch panel substrate, black floating frame Under the dancing ribbons of the aurora borealis, the northern world seems to pause, except for a faint shimmer of motion across the ice. In the foreground, a snow-laden evergreen stands quietly, its branches bowing beneath winter’s grace. Through drifting snow, two girls can be glimpsed skating on a frozen pond, their movements faint yet full of purpose. This is their Hockey Night in Canada; not the televised roar of arenas, but something purer, born of freedom and stillness. Their game unfolds under the vast sky, unscored and unseen, lit only by the warm glow of a nearby log cabin and the celestial fire above. The tree listens, and the aurora bears silent witness to this small miracle of motion and joy. In Silent Night, the familiar spirit of Hockey Night in Canada finds a gentler echo. It is one where play becomes communion, competition becomes connection, and the frozen north glows not with stadium lights, but with the shared warmth of life beneath the aurora’s embrace.
WHEN NATURE PLAYS 36”h x 24”w Chinese Brush Paint on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished with cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints The awe-inspiring spectacle of the Aurora Borealis as it performs its celestial symphony across the northern Canadian sky is captured by the artist. The painting is an impressionistic ode to light and stillness, where color and motion dance together in poetic harmony. The sky dominates and is alive with fluid ribbons of blue and purple; each hue blending softly into the next, suggesting the graceful movement of nature at play. In the foreground stands a solitary evergreen, its snow-laden branches bending gently under winter’s weight. The tree’s form, rendered in cool tones of grey, black and white, anchors the composition, a silent observer to the night’s performance. Further back, a small cabin rests among shadowed trees, a warm amber glow emanating from its windows—a whisper of human presence within the vast wilderness. Through delicate contrasts of motion and stillness, warmth and cold, When Nature Plays captures the dialogue between earth and sky, between solitude and belonging. It is not merely a depiction of the Northern Lights, but an emotional landscape and a reflection on wonder itself. The viewer is invited to pause, to listen, and to feel the music of the natural world, played not with instruments, but with light.
THEATRE IN THE FOREST 30”hx24”w Chinese Brush Paint on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints Here we see 6 red-crowned cranes gather beneath a canopy of mist and light, their movements unfolding like a silent performance in nature’s grand stage. Each crane embodies a role within the eternal play of life: innocence, devotion, vitality, union, wisdom, and release. The forest, alive with shifting tones of ink and pigment, becomes both audience and participant. Rendered in Chinese paints and inks, the landscape breathes harmony between two artistic traditions. This is a space where East and West, reality and dream, coexist in balance. The cranes play, bow, and rise; a dance that celebrates the rhythm of renewal and the dignity of life’s passing moments. In this quiet theatre, time itself seems to pause. Theatre in the Forest invites viewers to witness the beauty of coexistence between cultures, between beings, and within the cycles of nature. This is where every movement is a gesture of reverence, and every silence, an echo of eternity.
THE PROPOSAL 30”hx24”w Chinese Brush Paint on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints The Proposal includes 5 red-crowned cranes gathering within a mystical forest. At the heart of the scene, 2 cranes dance; their wings unfurled in a gesture of grace, devotion, and unity. This moment, tender yet eternal, captures the essence of love and the sacred transitions of life; themes deeply revered in both Chinese and Japanese traditions. The red-crowned crane, long celebrated as a symbol of fidelity and longevity, becomes here a messenger of promise. The two main cranes in the foreground embody a proposal not only of love, but of coexistence between cultures, between beings, and within the fragile harmony of nature.
SERENADE OF LIGHTS 36”h x 24”w Chinese Brush Painting on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished with cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints Serenade of Lights demonstrates the dialogue between nature and humanity unfolds in a quiet harmony of illumination. The aurora arcs across the sky in graceful motion, its shifting brilliance mirrored by the steady pulse of a distant lighthouse. One belongs to the earth’s ancient rhythm, the other to human ingenuity and yet together, they compose a shared language of light. A solitary evergreen stands in the foreground, draped in snow, witnessing this meeting of forces. Behind it, icebergs drift in slow procession, their surfaces catching and releasing the glow from both sky and shore. The landscape feels suspended between the natural and the constructed, a moment when the boundaries blur and light becomes a bridge rather than a divide. Serenade of Lights reflects on connection: the meeting of human creation and the natural world’s grandeur. It suggests that wonder need not separate us from what we observe; it can unite us, reminding us that both our lights (born of electricity or of the earth’s magnetic breath) sing the same enduring song of guidance, hope, and belonging.
THE GUARDIANS 36”h x 24”w Chinese Brush Painting on Iwami White on Birch Gallery Panel, varnished with cold wax finish, Chinese inks and Chinese paints In The Guardians, the frozen landscape hums with quiet vigilance. Beneath the flowing aurora, a solitary evergreen stands firm in the snow, its branches sheltering an owl that surveys the vast expanse below. Nearby, a great iceberg drifts close to shore, its immense form both fragile and seemingly immovable as a sentinel shaped by time and tide. At its edge, a lone seal rests upon a small fragment of broken ice. Each presence holds a role in this still communion. The aurora moves like breath made visible, guarding the sky with an ancient grace. The evergreen anchors the earth, its endurance a quiet defiance against the cold. The owl, alert and patient, becomes the watcher between worlds of air and land, movement and stillness. The iceberg, vast and grounded, carries the memory of oceans; the seal, gentle and transient, embodies life’s persistence amid the frozen expanse. And so the question lingers: who are the guardians? Is it the light that protects from above, or the beings that dwell beneath it? Perhaps guardianship belongs to all: the steadfast tree, the knowing owl, the wandering seal, and the ever-shifting sky. The Guardians is a reflection on coexistence and endurance, it is a vision of nature’s quiet keepers, bound by their shared silence and strength, watching over a world suspended between motion and stillness, fragility and grace.
QI OF WATER 30x30 (Prints Available)
SPIRITUAL WOODS; Chinese Ink on Rice Paper; 15"x19" (Grey Wood Frame: 21"x25") Capturing the essence of Canada through ink. This painting won an Award of Excellence for 10th Annual Juried ICCPS* show, Tokyo, Japan. Due to the Covid lockdown the show was converted from in-person to on-line for the first time in the show’s 10 year history. Laura was 1 of 3 North American artists to win an award at this prestigious show. *International Chinese Calligraphy & Ink Painting Society
Triptych: WINTER MOONS 1,2,3 - 22.5x15 (each frame)
FAR NORTH 12.5x15 (Available) Capturing the vastness of Canada's north.
CHANCE ENCOUNTERS - What makes life exciting? Meeting new people from all walks of life and embracing those chance encounters. Encounters that can forever change one’s life, thoughts, and perceptions. 12”x12” Sumi-e using Chinese Ink on Washi (Japanese paper); Cadre Floater substrate
FLIGHT OF THE BLUE JAY, Sumi-e; 12x16.5, Framed (Available) This painting demonstrates a spontaneous style of painting using Chinese inks. I enjoy the freedom and flowing movement of this painting.
SNUGGLED IN - Capturing the ‘warmth’ of winter which provides the ideal climate for snuggling in and simply watching the world go by – being ‘zen’. The tree is painted using Chinese Brush Painting while the fox and snow was painted in the Japanese style of Sumi-e as well as Chinese Brush Painting. 24”hx8”w; 7/8” Birch wood panel substrate.
THE POND (Available) on Fogo Island is a location in Joe Batt’s Arm and across from the Fogo Island Inn on this small island off the NE coast of Newfoundland. Chinese ink on Japanese paper (washi). 34"hx35"w (unframed)
ICEBERG ALLEY (Available) This painting is about capturing the essence of Fogo Island, Newfoundland using Chinese inks on Japanese paper (washi). In keeping with the traditions of this art form, the lighthouse leaves the paper. There is a majesty in the night, watching the stars, the aurora borealis and the merging of manmade structures and nature at its finest. Award by ICCPS Nov 2022. 38"hx28"w (framed)
LIFE OF WATER (Available) 24x30 Gallery Canvas Substrate, Black Floating Frame (Available) As Canadians, we seem to live for the summer months where were are drawn to the water.
I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU - The laws of attraction cannot be denied. You meet as total strangers, opposite sides of the spectrum and then eyes lock; just for a split second, but you know! Your entire world is irrevocably enchanted in less than a moment. That moment to be forever embraced through life’s ups and downs. ‘ I Only Have Eyes For You’ endures. Chinese Ink on Rice Paper with gold flecks; Unframed: 21”x21”; Natural Frame, under glass: 26.5”x 26.5”
TORONTO, ISLAND VIEW 12x15.5 (Available) This painting is a result of going down memory lane. As child, I loved Centreville and life on the Toronto islands. The rides, gardens and ponds with bridges. Most of all, I wanted to be on any the sailboats I saw navigating between the island and the city.
ON THE MOVE (Available); Chinese Ink on Rice Paper, 16x12 (Unframed) You are a 'Tiger' according to the Chinese Zodiac if you were born in 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, or 1938. Tigers traditionally symbolize strength, bravery and wisdom
DOVETAILING, 24x24 (Available) Based on www.musicbyjacelyn Dovetailing (Available). This painting was created at the invitation of Toronto's Jacelyn Holmes (jazz musician and songwriter) in support of her October 2020 CD release. I was asked to listen to her entire CD and select a song that spoke to me and then create a piece of art that was representative of that song. The song that spoke to me most was Dovetailing, which turned out to be the title track of the CD. The process involved listening to the song and creating a feeling of one becoming more than one. One being magnetically drawn to another; feelings that could not be ignored. Look closely as the painting also includes the lyrics.