Apr 3, 20232 min read

URBAN Beauty | Valerie Stevenson

Showing from April 3rd to April 17th 2023

"The inspiration for this exhibit comes from my lifelong appreciation for the natural environment and all its beauty. This passion led to a 15-year career as an Ecologist, working to protect natural features such as woodlands, wetlands and watercourses and their functions as well as the fish and wildlife that live within them. As I no longer work as an Ecologist, I still experience and appreciate these features everyday while walking my golden retriever, Buddy.

Natural features in urban environments play a critical role in the health of our ecosystem and our well-being. Through this exhibit I would like to draw attention to the many beautiful natural features we have locally in hope that it will inspire others to value and appreciate them as well. We need to ensure we are doing everything possible to preserve and enhance these features within our landscape and educate ourselves on what activities can harm them.

Within the City of Guelph we have what is called a Natural Heritage System. This system is interconnected areas of land which intertwines through the City and encompasses many of our natural features such as the Speed and Eramosa Rivers. The City has special policies which aim to protect and enhance these areas. Additionally, the City has lands designated as Open Space which include parklands which are also important to our ecosystem and wellbeing as they often contain naturalized treed areas and homes for wildlife. Expanding beyond the limits of Guelph we have very important natural features protected in Conservation Areas managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). These include areas such as Rockwood Conservation and the Elora Gorge which contains expansive rock outcrops of the Niagara Escarpment and specialized habitat for many wildlife."

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Valerie Stevenson is a landscape painter from Guelph Ontario. Her lifelong appreciation for the natural environment is embodied through acrylic works of familiar Canadian landscapes. She uses acrylic paint for its rich vibrancy to capture the expansive colours of nature and detail to draw the viewers into the range of contrasting elements in nature.

AVAILABLE WORK

Elora Gorge, Elora ON

Acrylic on Canvas 16"x 20"

$290

Eramosa River, Guelph ON

Acrylic on Canvas 20"x 16"

$240

Preservation Park, Guelph ON

Acrylic on Canvas 20"x 16"

$290

Riverside Park, Guelph ON

Acrylic on Canvas 20"x 16"