Mary Patricia Deveau
I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario and moved to Alberta in 1982 and then to Vancouver Island in 2005. Once my two wonderful children were grown and out of the nest I was able to concentrate my energy to full time studies at North Island College and then transfer into the Emily Carr Degree Program in the beautiful Comox valley. I graduated with a BFA in Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2014.
I am perpetually drawn to the sea and since moving to the west coast I’ve spent a great deal of time exploring coastal islands by kayak or sailboat. But part of my heart still lies in the Rocky Mountains, river valley’s and grasslands of big sky Alberta where I lived for most of my life. I still feel most at home in wide open spaces and being at sea provides the same far off distant horizon and big sky that invigorates me. My paintings are influenced by shifting winds, the sea, the sky, and the moodiness of weather. I work in acrylics and draw from sensory memory attempting to recall a connection between memory and atmosphere. My process is born from gestural abstraction without any real idea of what will transpire. I often get lost in the manipulation of paint and I thoroughly enjoy this process because it takes me out of my head and typically involves music and dancing.
Since graduating I’ve been showing and selling my work in various galleries and festivals on Vancouver Island and in Edmonton, Alberta. I also enjoy teaching art classes at the Campbell River Art Gallery. I have instructed different groups and clubs from Boy Scouts to Teachers during a PD day.