| |||
| van_rees_cv_2025.pdf |
Artist Statement
I have spent the last 30 years of my life conducting research into understanding the relationships between soils and vegetation and how they interact on different landscapes, particularly boreal forest landscapes. I have always been drawn to trees, water and rocks since I was a kid in Ontario and it is in these landscapes that I feel most at home. Art, however, was not a part of my life and it wasn’t until I was challenged to incorporate art into my science field courses in 2004 at the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus that the passion was ignited for painting landscapes. I enjoy looking at the various landscapes and trying to understand the processes that made them what they are today, but the greatest excitement is trying to capture them on canvas whether it is during the morning sunrise or standing in the silence as the snowflakes flutter down around you. I like to use bright colors and complete my paintings “en plein air”, but the challenge of being outdoors, in rugged environments and in all kinds of weather adds to the story behind the painting. Nothing beats however the camaraderie of painting with the Men Who Paint who continue to encourage me in my painting journey. I hope my paintings present a different perspective of our landscapes, one where the natural sciences and art might intersect reflecting the colors, shapes and textures of our northern landscapes.
The story of my journey into art can be found here or a YouTube video of my talk on creativity and innovation in combining soil and art can be found here.
The story of my journey into art can be found here or a YouTube video of my talk on creativity and innovation in combining soil and art can be found here.