Artist Statement

“Life comes full circle as I pursue my passion for art to express the beauty of nature. I’m a Canadian born artist that uses soft pastel’s luminous qualities to vividly portray the radiance of the moment. I’m inspired by the colours, light, and wisdom that nature provides.

My art reflects the ephemeral nature of our world, and I explore nature as a metaphor for life’s journey here and beyond. Through my artwork, I try to evoke an emotional connection to nature and inspire a profound spiritual awareness of the present moment.

I paint what I want, to express how I feel. We are all complex individuals and it’s far too easy to be seduced into pigeonholing and putting an artist into a category. Everything I paint is a reflection of my journey through life. It’s my creative spirit breathing life into art. Look beyond the labels and ask yourself, “How does my art make you feel”? I’m very happy when my art resonates and connects with you. Thank you!

Bio

Lorraine Roberts is an award-winning artist that creates landscape and botanically inspired soft pastel, paintings. Her art hangs in private and corporate collections and has been juried into exhibitions across Canada and the USA. Lorraine’s painting, Calm After the Storm, was awarded 1st Place in the Federation of Canadian Artists Toronto Chapter’s Spring Kaleidoscope Exhibition at the Pazan Gallery May 2024. Lorraine was a Top 100 Finalist in both the April 2024 and March 2025 PleinAir Salon Art Competition (USA).

She has been featured twice in the newspaper, The Caledon Citizen, in 2022 and 2023. She has received an Artistic Recognition Award in the Art and Color 365 Magazine’s 2024 Pastels Competition and an Honorable Mention Award in the Art & Color 365 Magazine’s 2024 Open Competition and many more awards. Lorraine is a juried Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, a juried member of the FCA Toronto Chapter and a juried Associate Member of The Pastel Society of America. She is a Signature Member of the Pastel Artists of Canada.

Lorraine has studied pastel painting with Karen Margulis, Marla Baggetta, Jeanne Rosier Smith and Albert Handell. “Learning is about doing and life experiences are teaching moments in the University of Life” – LR

Since early childhood Lorraine has always expressed herself with artistic endeavors: pottery, stained glass, papier mache, copper enameling, mono-printing, batik, pyrography, music, photography, garden design and painting. She is classically trained in drawing and painting in all different styles, subject matter and mediums from pen and ink, charcoal, acrylic, oil, watercolour and soft pastels. In her late teens, she was creating large, abstract, 3 dimensional, papier mache, acrylic paintings that were rented to corporations. At the end of high school, she received an Award of Excellence Art Scholarship. In her early 20’s she was teaching adults painting and drawing at night school.

She was an accomplished flutist and composer for over 20 years. Music led to meeting her talented husband, Robert at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Together they (AKA Rousseau & Carlton) performed at thousands of events and recorded 4 instrumental music CDs that feature flute and guitar with an acoustic ensemble.

Moving to rural Caledon, Ontario in 1999 sparked an interest in gardening which eventually led to the creation of Plant Paradise Country Gardens, an award-winning organic perennial nursery and botanical garden.

Lorraine is the author and photographer of two gardening books: A Recipe for Continuous Bloom (sold out) and Spectacular Plant Combinations for the Perennial Garden.

Life comes full circle as Lorraine follows her dream of sharing the beauty of nature through her art.

Exhibitions

2025

• Federation of Canadian Artists Toronto Chapter – Fresh Paint Exhibition at the Alton Mill Arts Centre
• Federation of Canadian Artists’ 2025 Landscapes Exhibition
• Federation of Canadian Artists Toronto Chapter’s 2025 Open National Juried Online Exhibition
• The Fine Arts Society of Milton’s “From Heart to Hand” Member Exhibition at the Holcim Gallery
• Pastel Artists.ca’s 35th Purely Pastel Open Exhibition at the Nelson Park Creative Centre
• Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada’s Yellow 2025 International Online Exhibition
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2025 Works on Paper Exhibition
• Pastel Society of Maine’s 25th Annual Open Juried Virtual Exhibition ‘Pastels Only’
• Pastel Society of the West Coast’s 2025 Members’ Only Online Show
• The Pastel Society Alaska’s Show Us Your Finest: A Global Art Showcase
• The Tucson Pastel Society’s Power of Pastel International Online Show,
• TERAVARNA 11th Landscape 2025 International Juried Art Competition. Honorable Mention Award 
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2025 Bloom Exhibition
• The Federation of Canadian Artists 2025 Artists’ Choice Online Exhibition
• Solo exhibition of 22 pastel paintings at the Headwaters Restaurant located in the Millcroft Inn & Spa, Alton, Ontario, August 5 until October 6 2025.
• Federation of Canadian Artists’ 2025 Exhibiting Member Exhibition
• Pastel Guild of Europe “Get Dusty” January Competition.  Honorable Mention Award

2024

• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Water Exhibition
• Art and Color 365 Magazine’s 2024 Pastels Competition and Online Show. Artistic Recognition Award
• DUST OFF – Pastel Guild of Europe Open Online Pastel Competition, Lounging, 9.5H x 12.5W inches, $695.00 Framed (CAD) Contact us to purchase.
• The Federation of Canadian Artists Toronto Chapter’s Exhibition “Slice of Life” at the Earl’s Court Gallery
• Preston Gallery’s Online Juried Show, October
• Pastel Artists Canada’s 34th Purely Pastel Exhibition
• 2024 Piedmont Pastel Society Online Show,
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Small Exhibition
• Headwaters Fall Festival Juried Art Show and Sale at the Alton Arts Centre
  
• Pastel Society of North Carolina’s Pure Color 2024 8th International Annual Online Juried Exhibition
• Pastel Society of South Carolina’s Luminosity & Light Online International Exhibition
• Culture Days Caledon Studio Tour
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Chapter Challenge
  
• The Masters Division of the Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada’s Online Exhibition
• Great Lakes Pastel Society Online National Exhibition
• Spring Kaleidoscope at the Pazan Gallery hosted by the Federation of Canadian Artists – Toronto Chapter.  Awarded 1st Place
• Pastel Artists of Canada 12^th Members Only Online Juried Exhibition
• The 2024 – Federation of Canadian Artists 365 Online Exhibition and Calendar Contest
• Top 100 Finalist in the April PleinAir Salon Art Competition in the USA.
• Pastel Artists of Oregon’s Spirit of Pastels Online International Open Exhibition 2024
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Online Federation Showcase
•  The Art & Color 365 Magazine’s 2024 Open Competition. Honourable Mention Award
• Art Masters Spring 2024 Exhibition, Top Art Awards, Scottsdale, AZ
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Bloom Exhibition
• The Pastel Society of the West Coast’s Members Only Online Show
• The Headwaters Arts Gallery Exhibition – Rejuvenation
• The Headwaters Arts Gallery Exhibition – From the Heart
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Artist’s Choice Online Exhibition
• The Camelback Gallery Shades of Blue 2024 International Juried Exhibition
• The Camelback Gallery Artist Invitational VIII International Juried Art Exhibition

2023

• Pastel Artists Canada’s 11th Annual Members Online Exhibition
• Pastel Society of Eastern Canada, PixelPastel 2023 International Exhibition
• Solo exhibition at the Headwaters Restaurant located in the Millcroft Inn & Spa
• Southeastern Pastel Society, Luminosity 2023 Juried International Open Exhibition
• Piedmont Pastel Society Member Show 2023
• The Headwaters Arts 27th Annual Fall Festival Show & Sale
• Southwest Florida Pastel Society 2023 National Juried Online Show
• Solo Art Show & Sale at Plant Paradise Country Gardens
• Best in Medium 2023 Pastel International Juried Art Exhibition (hosted by Camelback Gallery in Arizona, USA)
• Headwaters Arts Gallery, As the Story Goes
• Shades of Red 2023 International Juried Show, Camelback Gallery in Arizona, USA
• Northwest Pastel Society’s 37th International Open Show
• Red Rocks Pastel Society of Nevada’s 2023 Juried Online Exhibition
• Pastel Artists of Canada’s Purely Pastel 33rd Annual Open Exhibition at Neilson Park Creative Centre
• Pelham Art Festival in 2023
• Newmarket Juried Art Show
• Headwaters Art Gallery Show – Wild and Free
• Headwaters Art Gallery Show Dark into Light
• Pastel Society of the West Coast’s Online Show
• Pastel Artists of Canada 10th Annual Online Juried Exhibition
• Pastel Society of Colorado EXPRESSIONS 2023 Online Show

2022

• Headwaters Arts Market
• ArtWorks Oakville 22nd Annual Juried Show 2022
• Piedmont (North Carolina) Pastel Society’s Online Show 2022
• Solo Art Show & Sale at Plant Paradise Country Gardens
• Camelback Gallery’s 5th annual MY BEST Work of 22 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition

Professional Affiliations

• Associate Member of The Pastel Society of America
• Signature Member of the Pastel Artists Canada
• Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists
• Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists – Toronto Chapter
• Pastel Society of Eastern Canada (Societe de Pasel d’Est du Canada)
• Headwaters Arts
• Piedmont Pastel Society
• Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada
• Pastel Society of the West Coast
• Pastel Guild of Europe
• East Central Ontario Artists Association (ECOAA)
• Arts Society King