SHARON LALONDE

Since moving to the Comox Valley in 2012, Sharon Lalonde has immersed herself in painting. An Exhibiting Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 2018, she creates dynamic, expressive, and light-filled work. Her representational paintings explore movement and life through collage, acrylic, and diverse mark-making tools on wood panel. Continually evolving in process, Sharon aims to express fresh perspectives on the world. Her work is held in collections across Canada and internationally.

MAGGIE ZIEGLER

Maggie is a mixed media artist from Vancouver Island. Her art is a reflection of the surroundings that have inspired her and the deep sense of gratitude she feels for the opportunity to express herself creatively. Her paintings are representational, striving for a sense of realism, with backgrounds that are abstract and unconventional. Maggie approaches her work with a curious and optimistic spirit, embracing the unknown outcome of each piece.

NICOLETTE VALIKOSKI

Nicolette Valikoski grew up among the temperate rainforests and storm-battered beaches of a small island off the west coast of Canada. This wild and gorgeous corner of the world shaped her earliest artistic expression and today inspires much of her work.

Nicolette uses layers of paint and recycled materials to create her work which results in striking sculptural pieces with rich texture and incredible depth. Her bright, dynamic explorations of nature are informed by her passion for contemporary interior design, resulting in paintings that evoke a unique sensation of being both indoors and out.

Nicolette paints out of her light-filled studio in Vancouver Island’s beautiful Comox Valley. Her work hangs in the homes of her collectors all across the world.

For commissions and collaborations email nicolettevalikoski@gmail.com

SHEA KOTILLA

Being involved in making art for the past six years now has brought me to an understanding that the process (not the outcome) is the juice of an evolving art practise.

I love the journey of exploration regarding the use of art materials to evoke a human, sensory experience.

I find myself digging deeper into the practice in many ways. I study books, art images, YouTube videos, take online classes, experiment and play.

ERIN MAHER

For as long as she can remember, Erin has been drawn to the beauty and intricacies of the natural spaces that surround her. This passion and a desire to better understand the interconnectedness of natural systems led her to pursue a degree in marine biology, and is a constant source of inspiration for her work as an artist. Through her field work as a biologist, Erin has had the privilege of witnessing the resilience and beauty of remote wilderness, and the delicate balance of interactions between species, their environments, and people. Her art is an attempt to merge her experiences and scientific background with other ways of seeing our world and natural environments.

Erin works with a variety of mediums, including acrylics, oil paints, gouache, and carved linoleum block prints.

LARISSA McLEAN

Larissa McLean has been both a practicing artist and an art teacher for over 25 years. She graduated from the Alberta College of Art with a BFA and a BEd from The University of British Columbia. Larissa merges her love for nature and connection to flowers and plants with permaculture principles on her half acre property, where she experiments with using plants and flowers in her practice. She has a personal connection to old-growth trees, often naming them and giving them stories to tell. She likes to listen, and notices the tiniest details around her. You can often find her working at Anderton Nursery in the Perennial Section or teach community run art classes at Lake Trail School. People have also said she is a mermaid, you can often find her swimming in Comox Lake or surrounded by water, this is also present in her paintings with the flow of energy.

Larissa is a mixed-media painter that experiments with printmaking techniques in her work. She has experience teaching all ages in, drawing and painting, collage, felting, and gardening in her studio, PassionStems at “The Mill”. Her colourful, layered paintings have depth and soft glowing glazes that pull the viewer in. She wants to tell visual stories of the earth, and of her personal connections to nature and her gardens.

ANA GUNDZIK

Ana Gundzik is a Vancouver-born abstract painter now living in the Comox Valley, where the natural beauty of the region deeply influences her work. Her creative journey began in hairstyling and fashion, industries that shaped her keen eye for colour, texture and movement. Over time, her artistic practice evolved, weaving together these influences with her love for nature and the fluidity of abstract expression.

With a passion for painting that began in 2009, Ana has developed a distinctive style that blends bold colors with layered textures, creating pieces that evoke emotion and depth. A primarily self-taught artist, she embraces an intuitive approach, experimenting with acrylics, gouache, watercolor pencils and oil and chalk pastels to bring her vision to life. Her work is a continuous exploration of movement and contrast, balancing spontaneity with intentionality to create compositions that are both vibrant and thought-provoking.

Ana’s paintings often reflect the interplay between organic and structured forms, mirroring her background in both the natural and design worlds. She draws inspiration from the ever-changing landscapes of the West Coast and the emotional resonance of colour. Each piece carries a sense of energy and transformation, inviting viewers to interpret their own emotions and experiences within her work.

Her creative process is deeply personal, rooted in exploration and an openness to change. She embraces the unpredictability of mixed media, allowing each piece to evolve naturally. Whether through bold gestural marks or delicate layered details, Ana’s work captures the tension between control and freedom, offering a dynamic visual experience that continues to evolve along with her artistic journey.