PERSONAL HISTORY
Designing and creating is my PASSION! I am a mixed media artist, interior designer, and creative director at Marie Gisèle Creations studio, Toronto, Canada.
I am a nature and sea-loving artist who sees creativity as my primary focus in life. I always try to capture beauty in creating my artwork to engage the viewer's imagination and lift their spirits.
I have been a treasure hunter since I was a young child. I love hunting for treasures! I recycle and upcycle old pieces into new, unique and artistic creations. I salvage old wood and rusted metal pieces, collect odd seashells, stones and jewellery pieces, and repurpose vintage and found objects in my mixed media art pieces. I find inspiration in nature and, most particularly, near the sea. The SEA has been my lifelong inspiration for beauty.
Growing up in Montreal, Canada, my connection with the sea and nature came from spending my summers at my family's home in the Acadian Peninsula, New Brunswick. Each summer, I walked miles on the beach to collect stones, seashells, sand, and rusted metal pieces.
ARTISTIC APPROACH AND MEDIUM
I design, curate, and hand paint intricate layered compositions mounted on wood panels; I also use 100% cotton archival deckled-edge watercolour papers. Each piece is made with different substrates and is created using a combination of watercolour and acrylic paints, India inks, glazes, archival pigment transfers, gold leaf, beeswax, and calligraphy, making each piece of art unique and original. Each piece is either coated with beeswax, varnish, or resin.
ART DESIGN
Another of my signature art form is my unique shadow boxes. Most of my compositions are based on painting and layering photographs to recycled books. These are combined with collages of organic and natural forms, as well as reclaimed and found objects such as driftwood, rusted metal from the sea, seashells, fossils, sand, stones, minerals, old coins and money, vintage keys, metal leafing, wire, eggshells, feathers, straw, rope, cord, chains, dried flowers, twigs and leaves, crushed glass, sea glass, mica, Japanese papers, stamps, fabric, buttons, stitching, and other exotic substrates. These collages are mounted in a thick wooden frame and set behind a sheet of glass. Each piece is designed and handmade by me in my Toronto art studio. My artist's logo is embossed on each piece of artwork to ensure authenticity.
I have also developed a meticulous fine photoartgraphy process that combines handmade paper, transfer of photographic elements, and scanography techniques, resulting in small series of unique and one-of-a-kind visual alchemy.
My latest collection is a series of original high-quality painted and collaged artwork on gallery-style birch wood panels for a timeless look. These art pieces are made of mixed media, including acrylic paints, gold leaf applications, transfer techniques, and found objects collaged and embedded in resin to create one-of-a-kind designs using only archival paints and materials. These unique handmade art pieces, which combine distinct European elegance, are found on my Etsy store, Shopify online store, as well as my studio open-house, art galleries, and major art shows.
I am currently designing murals, tapestries, metal art trays, paper maché bowls, glasswork, and mosaic tables. I also design lighting fixtures. One light fixture uses strands of over 50 pieces of seashells, tumbled stones and lilac crystals. Another lighting fixture features 50 to 60 pieces of memorabilia collected over the years, including my grandfather's watch, a key chain from the Montreal 1976 Olympics, rusted nails, old coins and other family heirlooms. I also collect vintage maps and nature posters.
I am available for commissioned work such as books, posters, album covers, promotional merchandise, and private commissions. Each design is available in a variety of mediums and/or licensing formats.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
I have extensive training in art, faux finishing and decorative painting, interior design, merchandising, travel and tourism, sales promotion, and marketing. I have received certifications from Ryerson University, George Brown College, OCAD University, and Cornell University. I have also taught retail design and merchandising at Harvard University.
I am a French Canadian who has lived and worked in Montreal, Toronto and Paris. My travels through Europe hugely influenced my work and gave me my love of vintage motifs, which I continuously use in many artworks. I have traveled extensively around the world, including Africa, Europe, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and all over the United States and Canada. I now live and work in Toronto.
Call 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 (Canada and US)
Monday ‐ Friday, 9 am to 6 pm EST