Debra Bannister  Watercolor Fine Art

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY 

 

I have always had a passion for drawing and expressing myself with color. So much so that  when I was in  grade one I got into a lot of trouble coloring in my Dick and Jane books.  I was born in Cold Lake, Alberta and developed a love of drawing  at a very early age .  In my early years as an artist oil painting dominated my time but since 2006 watercolor has stolen my heart. I love the unpredictable, fluid nature  of this medium.

 

As a military child and later as a member of the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment  traveling to far away places  and meeting interesting people was a great adventure to me. My love for medical science also won out  as a career, especially  subjects involving chemistry and physics. I believe this is why I find watercolor so  interesting because we really need to understand  the chemistry and physics of painting and our subjects to be able to render something worthwhile.

 

In Spring 2009  I started exhibiting at art fairs and galleries across Ontario. In 2010 I launched my first  solo art show and the next year I was awarded 3rd prize at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival Open Competition for my painting  “Shopping in Havana” .  In 2012 I was offered the commissioned as the last artist to painti the Wolseley Barracks at ASU London, Ontario. As a former  Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment  soldier and member of the Canadian Armed Forces, the connection to project  and its history hit very close  to home. The painting now resides in permanent collection of The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in London. 

 

I have won a number of awards over the years including 2014 when I was honored to receive the the Juror's Choice Best in Show Award for my painting "SWAN PARADE" at the 56th Annual E.C.O.A.A Juried Show at  the Art Gallery of Bancroft, Ontario. Cards and prints of this painting and my most recent swan creation "Two of a Kind" are sold exclusively at the Stratford Festival.

 

In 2016 I completed a year long illustration project for the children's book, FLOOFUS LAND ADVENTURES. The book was launched May 6 in Peterborough , ON. In 2018 "The Guardian" and "Magic on the Vine" were juried into the 50th Annual OAA Juried Art Show at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. 

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In 2019 I was the featured artist for the Summer edition of THE LINK magazine. My painting "At the Back Door" featured on the cover as well as an interview with me and my art work. I was also thrilled and honored in August to win FIRST PLACE at the Buckhorn Festival of the Arts Open Competition for my painting "Polar Prowess".  

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2020 and 2021 were pretty quiet as the pandemic travelled the globe. I was excited however to be notified at the end of 2021 that my painting "Hope" was juried into the IWS North American Online Contest "Giving Light To The World".  https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/8674417/catalog

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I also love sharing my knowledge and passion for watercolor through workshops in fundamental artistic and watercolor techniques, portraits, and specialized subjects such still life, streetscapes, human and animal portraits. Contact me to arrange a custom workshop for your group.

 

Professional Memberships:

International Watercolor Society

Kawartha Artist's Gallery and Studio

East Central  Ontario Arts Association

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