2021 Instructors

Janice Robertson was born on Vancouver Island in 1952, into a family with a long history of women artists. She lives in the historic village of Fort Langley, BC with her artist husband, Alan Wylie. Janice launched her career as a professional artist in 1989. She has received  many awards including the Foreign Award in the Houston Watercolor Society’s Exhibition in Texas in 2004, the William and Margaret Foley Award in the Adirondacks National Exhibition of Watercolors in 2008, and she has won the Bronze Medal three times in the Federation of Canadian Artists Annual Signature Members exhibition. Janice is a signature member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Landscape Artists International, the Northwest Watercolor Society and Artists for Conservation. She was  elected as an Artist in Residence at the annual Painters at Painters event in Campbell River BC in 2004. Janice served as President of the Federation of Canadian Artists from 1999 to 2001. She is listed in Who’s Who in Canada and her paintings are in collections through the world. She is also a popular and well-respected workshop instructor and juror. Janice’s work is largely a reflection of her abiding love for the beauty of the west coast forests and beaches that she has known all her life. Her attachment to her home and garden are represented in her still-life paintings. She works in acrylic, watercolor and oil. Janice Robertson is represented by galleries in Vancouver, Whistler, Sidney, Fort Langley, Kelowna and Mexico. 

For over three decades Maria's artistic practice has continually been informed by the language and voice of the land. She interprets this language in varying ways, as its breadth of character seems to range from strong to soft, silent to deafening. Her work is directed by watching, listening and sitting alongside these moods. As she paints, she sets out to decipher and reconcile the intangible elements of nature before her; the elements that make a moment both fleeting and enduring.  

Maria paints in oils both outdoors and in her studio. Painting out on location and being a part of the environment is an invaluable part of the process when she returns to her studio to create larger works. Directly observing and experiencing her subject influences not only her choices of color, but imprints a lasting sense of place. Maria paints to explore and shares what she holds dear and hopes that when others look at her paintings they too may recall their own unguarded moments with nature.

Born in Vancouver, B.C. Kit attended the University of British Columbia, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1974. Throughout her life, Kit has always drawn and painted and although her professional career took her into the world of computers, art always remained a strong interest. 
Kit moved to Ottawa, Ontario after graduating from UBC where she began to paint landscapes in oil. She was represented by the Inspiration Art Gallery in Ottawa and by the Firehall Gallery in Perth, Ontario. She took the opportunity to study at the Ottawa School of Art and exhibited her work at the BCAL Clothesline Fair in Ottawa (a juried show) for several years. 
After moving to Kelowna, BC in 1992, a busy career prevented her from pursuing art for nearly 15 years. Returning in 2008 to painting, Kit has picked up where she left off.  Continuing to expand her knowledge and develop her technique and vision, she enjoys  both painting on location and working in her studio. 

Ann is known for her large-scale panoramic landscapes, florals and rural scenes of Canada. Bold, visible brushstrokes and thick, luscious oil paint are characteristic of her paintings, which have been described as  contemporary impressionism. Gnarly old trees with their own linear personalities, grasses shifting in the wind, hidden marshes, - these are some of the subject matters which have inspired Ann’s landscapes.

Her florals portray the exquisite rhythm and flow which are at the root of nature surrounding us. They are larger-than-life, close up and personal, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in the painting. They are an open invitation into the heart and soul of the natural world, a reminder of the peace and tranquility that exists if we but look for it. 

For the past few years Ann has found new passion in painting outdoors, en plein air. This method of painting stems back to the mid 19th century. She has been involved in major Plein air events in B.C., Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario. She has won major awards for her plein air work, including first place at the Elora Plein Air Festival, 2018 in Ontario, third place in the 2017 Bragg Creek, Alberta Plein Air Festival and an Honourable Mention at the Parrsboro, Nova Scotia International Plein Air Festival 2018. She continues to promote Plein Air painting events and workshops throughout Canada. 
Her work is shown in galleries across Canada and held in collections around the world. She is an Associate member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and an Associate Member of the Oil Painters of America.