Glitter Slugs on Parade | Natalie Gillis

Exhibiting September 9 - 23, 2025

"Glitter Slugs on Parade is a love letter to my earlier years as a scuba instructor in the tropics. Coral reefs are some of the most beautiful, biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, and nudibranchs — tiny, reef-dwelling slugs only a few centimetres long but blazing with vibrant colour — are some of their loveliest inhabitants. Easily overlooked, nudibranchs invite us to slow down, breathe deeply, and let the diversity of life reveal itself. Working from my own photographs, I’ve  painted nudibranchs at many times their actual size to make what is invisible and unknown to most people unlookawayable. These paintings are a celebration of nudibranchs’ flamboyant beauty, the ocean’s diversity, and life’s exuberant, full motley."

About the Artist

Natalie Gillis is an acrylics and mixed media artist based in Guelph, a high school science teacher and a former scuba instructor. Drawing inspiration from the natural world, she blends bold colours with dynamic line work to spark curiosity and wonder and express the joy of being alive. She has previously exhibited her work in group shows with the Guelph Arts Council, Necessary Arts and Art Not Shame.

Featured Work

Glossodoris acosti

16” x 20”, acrylic on canvas

2025 | $350

Hypselodoris purpureomaculosa

16” x 20”, acrylic on canvas

2025 | $350

Pteraeolidia semperi

30” x 40”, acrylic on canvas

2025 | $850

Tambja olivaria

24” x 24”, acrylic on canvas

2025