Artist's statement: I started to paint in my early 40's after being forced to retire from the hair industry due to back pain. Throughout my youth I was exposed to many artisans and mediums right within my immediate family. There are seamstresses, construction and woodcrafters to name a few, all who showed me a variety of methods and mediums to create with. Uncle Telford Fenton was a painter in Toronto and he was a mesmerizing artist, a real inspiration. I was shown and guided through a deep appreciation for the beauty of Nature and that is the subject of a alot of my canvas work. When I became aware of my illness of Bordererline Personality Disorder I found painting and writing to be excellent therapy for me. When I put brush to canvas I lose myself in color and time. I work with acrylic, water color, oils and pastel. Just as my peers, my journey has been a difficult struggle at times, it still can be but I'm grateful to have been blessed with a gift that soothes my soul. My passion for painting is sporadic depending sometimes on on the season, sometimes my moods, the lite and my intended thougts and how I want to portray them. I like to put a lot of drama and color into my works and I see color as a huge element in healing. I hope you enjoy my paintings. Warm Regards, Brenda Gateman