Tell us more about your background and journey.
Art is in my bones. I have been in love with my creativity from an early age, however, my career and my marriage were my main focus for many years. Traveling with my husband over the years, I visited many world-renowned museums which helped me gain a deep understanding of the history of art. Also in my career with Canadian Pacific Airlines and later Air Canada, I visited many major cities around the world and experienced a variety of cultures.
From 2012 to 2018, I gave myself the gift of pursuing art full time by taking Private Tutorial classes with Laara WilliamSen, an International Professional Painter.
Is it a financially stable career?
As a late bloomer, it’s been a journey of perseverance. Historically women have had more challenges becoming professional painters though this is changing now due to advanced technology. We can do much more. I’m very happy to have collectors from around the world. Anything is possible.
When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?
I decided to become a professional artist in 2013. In 2014 I participated in three juried group exhibitions: Good Vibrations, Visible Inspirations, and The Emergence Art Show, in Vancouver, Lower Mainland, B.C., Canada.
Studying and working with Laara WilliamSen on a regular basis, I became even more inspired. Laara encouraged me and gave me lots of professional support and guidance on this new journey. This positive experience led to many interviews with the Peace Arch News, South Surrey, B.C., Canada, four International awards, one local award and I’ve held eight solo shows, participated in ten international group exhibitions and fifty-one group art shows.
I have an extensive list of favorites. Thinking about this list I’ve found they all have some commonalities. They are all renegades. They are all innovative, starters of a new oeuvre.
One of my favorite painters is Vincent van Gogh of the Impressionists. I feel his sensitive nature when he captures the light in his paintings.
I love the Group of Seven for the way they painted raw, wide-open spaces. They depicted giant mountains, the rushing rivers of Canada, forest scenes, and lakes.
I appreciate the spiritual nature of Lawren Harris’ artwork and Tom Thompson’s vibrant expressions of the Algonquin Park. These groups of Seven artworks are so different from the refined and quiet British Pastoral scenes being created in this same period. My heart stopped still when I first saw Jean-Paul Riopelle’s paintings at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. He and fellow abstract artist Paul-Emile Borduas co-authored the Refus Global which proclaimed the freedom to create without thinking, by painting automatically.
Riopelle transferred his emotions through his painting. Applying thick visceral oils onto his canvas resulted in sculptural quality.
Jackson Pollack is another favorite. In his career, he mastered painting realistically. His life in New York City was filled with beatniks, neon signs, jazz musicians, and a plethora of modern ideas. All his feelings were bursting to be expressed. Reflecting on the modern era he lived in, he began dripping his colorful paints onto huge canvasses and created a new form of abstraction.
The list could grow. All the above artists have moved me, even to tears. Their works stirred up my feelings and emotions.
What is your inspiration for creating art?
I’ve always been intuitive and thoroughly charmed by continuous learning. My reverence for Meditative spirituality and how it can nurture and heal is a huge catalyst for my art-making. As it is with every artist, my creative process is unique. When I’m painting, impressions build slowly for me, and quite often, in what seems like a spontaneous flurry, they explode onto my canvas. I often look up at the end of a painting session and can’t recall exactly how I got there.
Whether my art is hanging in a private and quiet part of your home, a corporate boardroom, or a bustling public lobby, I want people to look at my work and have it cultivate and inspire their own vision.
What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring artists?
As a future aspiring artist, I’d like you to know we each develop and evolve different styles over time. Painting is a very personal process. You will gain trust and confidence in your own unique process. You will be amazed at what happens. Stay curious. Don’t judge yourself. Be kind to yourself. Have fun!
What I am doing now!
I enjoy painting, applying to exhibitions, making sales, and very much interacting with my peers. I’m a social person and miss interacting with the public as we maneuver through these times of the pandemic.
Currently, I’m focused on the upcoming exhibition with The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea, New York, New York, U.S.A., running from February 12th till May 2022.
I have been bitten by the bug of wanting to express myself. The more I paint, the more I create, the closer I am to knowing myself as a painter, an artist, and a Soul Being. I am beginning to understand what this magic means.
Which is your favorite book and why?
One of my favorite books is by Dr. Bruce Lipton, The Biology of Belief, Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles. Dr. Lipton, a biologist explains his study of forty years and work in stem cell research and that our emotions ultimately create our health. Our cells are listening.
The books I read are inspirational and present new ideas even if the concept is old.
Interviewed by - Yashika Khanna
Short Bio
Doris Anderson, a visual artist, grew up in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After several moves and international travel, she now creates from her home studio in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada.
She is an Abstract Artist who creates with passion and devotion to her inner guidance.
For the past nine years, Doris has created hundreds of abstract paintings and she has successfully exhibited and sold both locally and internationally. She has held eight solo shows, participated in ten International Group Exhibitions and fifty-one Group Art Shows.
As well as being a member of Semiahmoo Arts Society, The Federation of Canadian Artists, and the Surrey Art Gallery Association, Doris’ artworks are also represented by the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Many private collectors around the world enjoy her paintings.
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