Meet Plein Air Artist - Patrice Stephens-Bourgeault

Patrice's first introduction to painting occured in France, where she lived for three years during her mid teens. The Impressionist plein air painters and the areas they painted influenced her greatly. Then in her early twenties, a few years in a small High Eastern Arctic settlement brought her attention to the interaction of people with their environment. These two influences of France and the High Arctic made her realize that anthropology could be expressed through her plein air paintings.

Her career as a plein air artist is supported by an Honours B.A. from the University of Toronto, specializing in Canadian anthropology with a minor in studio arts; and also a four year special arts program from Central Technical School, Toronto. During university she was the President of the Anthropology Students' Union at U of T. Patrice was also given the Innis College medal from Innis College of the University of Toronto for scholastic achievement and cultural participation. She has continues to contribute to the community by being a plein air artist and art instructor for landscapes, still life, portraiture and figure drawing and volunteering at community activites.

Patrice's versatility in medium and subject matter is shown in her landscapes, still life and portraits done in French pastels and oil paints. This versatility is confirmed in the plein air paintings that she does while she worked as the artist for the Center of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

These experiences in Europe, the Arctic and in the sciences have influenced her to favour drawing from life, on location, rather than from photos, as it can lead to new concepts in painting. Patrice, as a plein air artist, combines impressionism and realism with color, form and movement in such a way that excites and captivates the viewer’s attention. Her plein air paintings reveal a subject matter more real than what you see with your own eyes or through the lenses of a camera. Silverware and lakes shimmers. Clouds move. Sunsets and flowers glow.