‘I paint flowers because I am absolutely enchanted by them. They offer a real-time, easily accessible view of the complexity, resiliency and sheer beauty of the broader natural world. In respectfully tending my own garden, I see myself contributing to the care and keeping of the wider picture, albeit in a small, but no less earnest, way. Organic shapes, quiet colour and cursive lines comprise the language I use to narrate my very personal response to the abundant living world we are offered here to care for and protect. A rose is not ‘just’ a rose to me, it is an intimate portal to a deeper understanding of the delightfully intriguing wonders of nature...’ Prior to becoming a full time artist, Shirley’s career as an interior designer nurtured and developed her innate interest in the value and visual power of line, form, and colour. These design fundamentals have naturally carried through as she made her shift from applied to fine arts, and have deeply influenced her personal aesthetic and evolution as a painter. Big shapes, strong compositions and the delicate lines within them are hallmarks of her distinct style.Constant and patient study of her surroundings and a keen dedication to learning by direct observation are integral to her daily practice, preferring to work from life in order to better understand light and value nuances and to experience her subject first hand. Education is a life-long pursuit and she travels regularly to learn from contemporary masters in both landscape and floral painting. On most days, she can be found with easel in tow, painting fully immersed in the green and watery, sometimes snowy, West Coast landscape, working within her beloved garden where she grows the majority of the flowers she paints, or completing larger works in her studio.Shirley was born in Montreal, Quebec, and currently lives in West Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is a Senior Signature member of Canada’s premier art association, the Federation of Canadian Artists, has won many awards, and has participated in many group and solo exhibitions. She is honoured to have her work included in both personal and corporate collections.