Frances Obie
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Frances Obie
Frances grew up in West Vancouver, BC, lived for years in Ontario and now calls Fort St John home. At an early age she gained an interest in drawing from her father, a cartographer, and her mother, an art teacher. Apart from these early influences, she is largely self taught.
The themes presented in her work are concerned with our human connection with the natural world. Atmospheric elements, space and light are metaphors for feelings and thoughts carried within. As a result, her work is meditative and compelling.
Frances has won numerous awards for her work including the Distinguished Representational Award in the Peace Liard Regional Art Exhibition. She has participated in group and solo shows, locally and nationally. Her work is enjoyed by collectors, internationally.
Artist Statement
Currently my focus is on exploring ideas related to our intrinsic connection with nature and the landscape.
These ideas have come about following trips to locations in Northern BC and along the Pacific Coast that hold a mystic, ethereal quality .
The human psyche is a powerful creative force which is interconnected with the physical world. Like the sky, water and landforms, thoughts, hopes, dreams and fears are in constant motion forming, breaking down and transforming in an ongoing act of creation towards ever-changing realities.This quality of impermanence makes for an intangible idea of reality but there is strength and beauty in the ability to change and evolve.
We tend to think of ourselves as existing outside of nature, being separate from it. I would like to invite the viewer to think of their environment from a different perspective, finding power and balance in the mutable, transformational qualities which are as much a part of us as they are in the natural world we observe.
Selected artistic work presented to the public
April 2024 Reverie, solo exhibition, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John, BC, self- curated.
June 2022-Present Gallery Odin’s Summer & Winter Shows, group exhibitions, Silver Star Mountain, Vernon, BC, curated by Kalman & Maria Molnar.
Feb 9-25 Waterways, solo exhibition, VISUALSPACE Gallery, Vancouver, BC, curated by Yukiko Onley.
Oct-Nov, 2023 Impermanence, solo exhibition, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, Dawson Creek, BC, curated by Kit Fast.
April 2022 Confluence, solo exhibition, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John, BC, self- curated.
2018-2021 Exhibiting artist in Art Gallery of Grande Prairie’s annual juried art auctions, Grande Prairie, AB, curated by Jeff Erbach.
Aug-Sept 2020 Sky High, solo exhibition, Peace Gallery North, Fort St John, BC, self- curated.
May 2018 A Sense of Place, solo exhibition, The Centre for Creative Arts, Grande Prairie, AB, curated by Niki Sangra.
2012-2019 Exhibiting artist in Pastel Artists Canada’s juried biannual shows and competitions.
Selected awards and community recognition
2023 Outstanding Acrylic, Boldbrush Painting Competition, FASO, online.
2021 Distinguished Representational Award, Peace Liard Regional Art Exhibit, Peace Liard Region of northeastern BC.
2020 3rd Place – Abstract, BoldBrush Painting Competition, FASO, online.
2019 Feature Artist for Peace Arts Gallery Society’s annual art auction.
2015 Master Pastelist Signature Designation, Pastel Artists Canada.
Peace Gallery North, Fort St John, BC,
Gallery Odin, Silver Star Mtn. Vernon, BC