Colleen Underwood

Bio

Colleen Underwood from Halifax, started her creative life in her early twenties and admits painting has been a passion ever since. She has studied art and taught art, owned an art convention business, and exhibited her art in several Maritime galleries including Art 1274 Hollis, Halifax, Serindipin Gallery Saint Andrews N.B., and Handworks Gallery Saint John N.B, The Fraser Gallery Tatamagouce N.S. and Teichert Gallery Halifax.

Inspired at an early age by works of the “Old Masters”, she feels bold vibrant colours are the most emotional and personal aspect of her paintings. She discovered the luminosity and brilliance of oil paint and encaustics (melted beeswax), which led her to explore the marvels these mediums have to offer. A memory or emotional connection can spark an idea for her subjects that range from floral and still life to coastal landscapes, but her passion is to paint transparency—light passing through and interacting with glass and its surroundings.

Starting with a sketch or drawing with her brush, Colleen applies her paint with a palette knife or in the case where she works in encaustic, melted beeswax and oil are applied and set with a heat gun or blow torch. The composition is further enhanced by rendering light, strong bold colors, and harmony on linen canvas, hardboard, and sometimes metal panels such as copper and aluminum. She paints what brings comfort and joy to her life, and if the viewer connects with that, then she feels she has accomplished her goal. When not working on her art, Colleen enjoys her family, cooking, gardening and golfing.

Artist Statement

Art consumes me. Bold vibrant luminous colour is the most intriguing and personal aspect in my paintings.

A memory or emotional connection sparks an idea. I paint with oils using mainly a palette knife and more recently I have discovered encaustics.Encaustics are melted beeswax and damar resign and oil pigment. They are heated and applied layer by layer, scraped, dug into and each layer is fused together with a blow torch or heat gun. Permanent, archival rich in texture sweet aroma, this medium is enticing.

My subjects vary from floral, still life and figures but my deepest passion is to paint transparency.Light passing through and interacting with glass and its surroundings is a subject I am always drawn to.

I want the viewer to feel and understand why this composition was chosen to be painted not just to see my story but to allow the viewer to envision their own story. I am truly blessed to make art each day.