By painting mass-produced, cheapened objects of the not-so-distant past, my work brings to mind the hand or touch of a brush of the original sculptor and painter. By re-framing them as large-scale paintings the viewer is given the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with these lost or forgotten domestic objects.

My subjects have ranged from vignettes of dirty dishes, vintage board games, scrapbooks, and ceramic figurines to studies of fishing lures, pond life, and lichen.

I regard my paintings as visual poems that mark the brief, curious moments that punctuate the everyday. In the tradition of still life painting, my paintings arrest time for the sake of contemplating the transient nature of our lives. As Dennis Lee has observed in his exploration of Al Purdy’s poetry, “the everyday physical world can at times seem other-worldly, an alternate galaxy that is both utterly present and wholly transparent, a window into some ineffable dimension where [the individual] is at once lost and at home.”It is this kind of window that I attempt to realize with paint on canvas.

Her fascination with human ideas melds perfectly with her love of eclectic materials, resulting in what she calls “mixed up media.” Lorette plays with appropriation to create wholly original works; she blurs the intersection of art and writing by incorporating text, literature, and typography collage; she uses music to fuel the rhythm of each painting.

Lorette’s formal education is a degree in journalism from Ryerson University, but her independent study of art history and constant reading could be considered “learning for life.” Taking pictures to better observe the world around her, as well as travel, are both essential to her creative practice.

For 30+ years Kim has been a professional practising artist. Her early work focused on contemporary portraiture, narrowing in on the traits in humanity that she celebrates – strength, grace, intelligence, humour.

Her first solo portrait show was at Niagara’s Shaw Festival Theatre in 1993 and included pieces of Christopher Newton and Veronica Tennant along with actors, carpenters and designers. Subsequent portrait subjects Kim worked with include Moses Znaimer, Eberhart Zeidler, Dr Roberta Bondar, Mike Myers, Michael J. Fox, Walter Carsen, and Agnes Martin.