Artist Statement

Life comes full circle as I pursue my passion for art to express the beauty of nature. I’m a Canadian artist that uses soft pastel’s luminous qualities to vividly portray the radiance of the moment. Inspiration may be found all around us, and I’m inspired by the colours, light, and wisdom that nature provides. My art reflects the ephemeral nature of the world within and around me. It’s an interpretation of the moment based on both my past experiences and present-day knowledge.

In my artwork, I explore nature as a metaphor for life’s journey here and beyond. My mission is to create art that evokes an emotional connection to nature and inspires a profound spiritual awareness of the present moment.

Bio

Lorraine is an award-winning artist that creates landscape and botanically inspired soft pastel, impressionistic 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. This painting was also a Top 100 Finalist of the April PleinAir Salon Art Competition (USA). She has been featured twice in the newspaper, The Caledon Citizen in 2022 and in 2023. She received an Honourable 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.

Since early childhood Lorraine has always expressed herself with artistic endeavors: pottery, stained glass, papier mache, copper enameling, mono-printing, batik, pyrography, music, photography, and garden design. 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 had 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. When not painting Lorraine is inspired by nature and all its wonder.

Exhibitions 2024

• Lorraine’s pastel painting, Wildflowers at Sunset ($995) has been accepted into the Federation of Canadian Artists Toronto Chapter’s Exhibition “Slice of Life” held at the Earl’s Court Gallery, 215 Ottawa St. North, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8H 3Z4. October 5th – 19th (Open Tues-Fri 10-5 and Sat. 10-4)
• Preston Gallery’s Online Juried Show, October 1st- 31st, 2024, with the painting, On the Beach. Preston Gallery is located in Uxbridge, Ontario. 
• Pastel Artists Canada’s 34th Purely Pastel Exhibition October 8th- October 20th. Held at the Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, 1241 Cartwright St., Vancouver, B.C. and online at pastelartists.ca, with the painting, Wishing You Were Here. To purchase ($1195 + HST) please contact the Federation of Canadian Artists’ Gallery Manager at sales@artists.ca
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Small Exhibition at the Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright St., Vancouver, B.C. and online at The Federation Gallery’s website, September 24th – October 6th with the painting Spring is Here.  View the Exhibition here. To purchase ($495 + HST) please contact the Federation of Canadian Artists’ Gallery Manager at sales@artists.ca
• Headwaters Fall Festival Juried Art Show and Sale at the Alton Arts Centre, 1402 Queen Street west, Alton Ontario. September 18th – October 6th (Wednesday to Sunday)  10:00am-5:00pm., with the painting Calm After the Storm.
• Pastel Society of North Carolina’s Pure Color 2024 8th International Annual Online Juried Exhibition September 1st – September 30th with the painting Waiting. Of the 649 entries, 157 were chosen by the esteemed juror Albert Handell, Master Pastelist PSA / IAPS / OPA / AIS
• Pastel Society of South Carolina’s Luminosity & Light Online International Exhibition, September 14 – October 19, with the painting Entrance to Spring. (SOLD)
• Culture Days Caledon Studio Tour Saturday September 21st & Sunday September 22 11:00am- 6:00pm Embark on a self-guided journey through 18 stops across the Town of Caledon, meeting 26 talented artists along the way. Lorraine Roberts will be exhibiting her art at Plant Paradise Country Gardens, 16258 Humber Station Road.
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Chapter Challenge August 1st-August 21st, with the painting Entrance to Spring (SOLD).
  
• The Masters Division of the Red Rock Pastel Society of Nevada’s Online Exhibition, with the paintings Burst of Energy and Entrance to Spring (SOLD). View the online exhibition here.
• Great Lakes Pastel Society Online National Exhibition August 17th- September 28th, with the painting (SOLD) Entrance to Spring.
• Spring Kaleidoscope at the Pazan Gallery May 9 until May 28, 2024. Hosted by the Federation of Canadian Artists – Toronto Chapter, Calm After the Storm (Awarded 1st Place) and Spring is Here.
• Pastel Artists of Canada 12^th Members Only Online Juried Exhibition 2024. Calm After the Storm.
• The 2024 – Federation of Canadian Artists 365 Online Exhibition and Calendar Contest May 24 – June 21, Kinetic Force.
• The painting, Calm After the Storm is a Top 100 Finalist of the April PleinAir Salon Art Competition in the USA.
• Pastel Artists of Oregon’s Spirit of Pastels Online International Open Exhibition 2024 opening May 20th, 2024, Calm After the Storm.
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Online Federation Showcase April 1st – April 21st, Calm After the Storm.
• Honourable Mention Award in the Art & Color 365 Magazine’s 2024 Open Competition, Wishing You Were Here.
• Art Masters Spring 2024 Exhibition, Top Art Awards, Scottsdale, AZ
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Bloom Exhibition, April 2 -18 at the Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright St., Vancouver, B.C. and online at The Federation Gallery’s website with the painting, Meadow of Cosmos.
• The Pastel Society of the West Coast’s Members Only Online Show beginning March 1st, Wishing You Were Here.
• The Headwaters Arts Gallery Exhibition – Rejuvenation – March 20 until April 21, 2024, located in the Alton Mills Art Centre, Alton, Ontario, Flow.
• The Headwaters Arts Gallery Exhibition – From the Heart – February 14 until March 17, 2024, located in the Alton Mills Art Centre, Alton, Ontario, Spring is Here and Ecstasy Unfurls.
• Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Artist’s Choice Online Exhibition, February 1 – 21, with the painting, Wishing You Were Here.
• The Camelback Gallery Shades of Blue 2024 International Juried Exhibition, The Light Within (SOLD)
• The Camelback Gallery Artist Invitational VIII International Juried Art Exhibition, Wishing You Were Here.

2023

• Pastel Artists Canada’s 11th Annual Members Online Exhibition (opening December 1st, 2023), In a Dream (sold) and Spring is Here.
• Pastel Society of Eastern Canada, PixelPastel 2023 International Exhibition, December 15, 2023 to March 15, 2023,  Sandbanks
• Solo exhibition of 22 pastel paintings at the Headwaters Restaurant located in the Millcroft Inn & Spa (October 2 – December 4, 2023).
• Southeastern Pastel Society, Luminosity 2023 Juried International Open Exhibition, The Light Within (sold)
• Piedmont Pastel Society Member Show 2023, Cascades.
• The Headwaters Arts 27th Annual Fall Festival Show & Sale, in Alton Ontario Sept. 13th – Oct. 1, 2023, Summer in Paradise
• Southwest Florida Pastel Society 2023 National Juried Online Show Sept. 16th – Oct.1st, 2023, Cascades.
• Solo Art Show & Sale at Plant Paradise Country Gardens September 23rd, 2023.
• Best in Medium 2023 Pastel International Juried Art Exhibition (hosted by Camelback Gallery in Arizona, USA), Poppy Field (sold)
• Headwaters Arts Gallery, As the Story Goes, Alton Mill Arts Centre (Ontario), August 9th until September 10th, 2023, In a Dream (sold), The Bluebells have Arrived and Journey Through Rocks
• Shades of Red 2023 International Juried Show hosted by the Camelback Gallery in Arizona, USA, Over the Hills and Beyond
• Northwest Pastel Society’s 37th International Open Show, May 1st – June 30th 2023, In a Dream (sold)
• Red Rocks Pastel Society of Nevada’s 2023 Juried Online Exhibition, Wildflowers at Sunset and The Bluebells have Arrived
• Pastel Artists of Canada’s Purely Pastel 33rd Annual Open Exhibition at Neilson Park Creative Centre in Toronto June 1 to June 17, 2023, All Paths Lead to Water (sold)
• Pelham Art Festival in 2023
• Newmarket Juried Art Show April 18-29, 2023, Kinetic Force
• Headwaters Art Gallery Show – Wild and Free – March 22 until April 23, 2023, Wildflower Melody (sold) and Over the Hills and Beyond
• Headwaters Art Gallery Show (Alton Mill) – Dark into Light – February 15 until March 19, 2023, Wildflowers at Sunset
• Pastel Society of the West Coast’s Online Show 2023 – MOOS – Sandbanks
• Pastel Artists of Canada 10th Annual Online Juried Exhibition, Poppy Field (sold) and Sandbanks
• Pastel Society of Colorado EXPRESSIONS 2023 Online Show, Poppy Field (sold)

2022

• Headwaters Arts Juried Arts Market September 17, 2022
• ArtWorks Oakville 22nd Annual Juried Show 2022, Over the Hills and Beyond
• Piedmont (North Carolina) Pastel Society’s Online Show 2022, Primula Garden
• Solo Art Show & Sale at Plant Paradise Country Gardens October 22 & 23 2022
• Camelback Gallery’s 5th annual MY BEST Work of 22 International Juried Visual Arts Exhibition, Sandbanks

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
• Headwaters Arts Member
• Piedmont Pastel Society
• Red Rocks Pastel Society
• Pastel Society of the West Coast
• Society of York Region Artists
• East Central Ontario Artists Association (ECOAA)
• Arts Society King
• Arts on the Credit