ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Renée has a BFA from the University of Toronto and currently lives and creates in Prince Edward Island. After years of working to find her voice as an artist, Renée has developed a style that is uniquely hers. The stories told in each painting are inspired by Renée’s past and present day experiences intermingled with nature and local PEI landscapes. Underlying all of her work is an intense interest in mystical interconnection of the physical and non-physical realms.​​​
​
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is made of many threads from Earth and the Cosmos, ancestors and living teachers, the seen and the unseen. Each painting becomes a tapestry where the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts.
​
I paint human forms in two tones to represent the lightness and darkness of being human. Alongside these figures, I work with Earth-based and cosmic imagery, as well as symbolic images and symbols that bridge the physical and non-physical realms. ​
​
My creative process is steeped in prayer and ceremony with my ancestors, both close and ancient, North American and European, those who remembered the Earth as Mother and lived in reverence to her rhythms. I continue this lineage through my own ceremonies, connecting with the wisdom of Indigenous Elders and Teachers, as well as teachings from around the world, allowing their guidance to reshape me. Every piece is offered with prayer and intention, holding the energies and stories that wish to come through.
​
My formal training in fine arts, along with the visual influence of Romanesque-era painted bibles, Art Nouveau, and a long career in animation, informs the graphic style, composition, and colour use in my work. At heart I am a storyteller and the figures, animals, and symbols I paint carry distinct energetic frequencies, each a living vibration that bridges Earth and spirit.
​
Beyond painting, I serve as a light worker and energy conduit, grounding, balancing, and helping others bridge their human and higher selves. My paintings often act as records of these ceremonies and mystical exchanges becoming portals of remembrance and gratitude for Mother Earth and for the cosmic harmony that lives in all opposites made one.
MY HERITAGE
Daily I get asked if my work is Indigenous.
Long story short, I do not identify as Indigenous and never have. I also do not sell my work as Indigenous nor do I take up Indigenous resources or spaces. ​
I do, however, have remote Indigenous ancestry, three female ancestresses who I call The Grandmothers. I also come from a disputed community in Ontario called the Muskrat French Métis which is I will get into later*.
One of the reasons I think my work presents as Indigenous is that I am in constant communication with The Grandmothers, as well as my ancient French ancestors. We all come from first peoples and it is often those energies I am drawing from. I am also always intensely communing with nature, and I have had many teaching experiences with the Mi'kmaq community in my home Province of Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island, Canada).
I truly understand the concern of the Indigenous community to ensure people do not misrepresent themselves as Indigenous. I do my best to represent myself honestly and at the same time to honour my ancestors and my voice at the same time. I am happy to discuss this further with anyone that may have concerns. Please contact me at reneelaprisearts@gmail.com.
​
* In the 2000's, my parents decided to research our heritage and found that both sides of my family went back 400 years in the same area of Southern Ontario. They discovered a diaspora of French and Indigenous intermingling for centuries. These people were called Muskrat French. But language, customs and food showed a pronounced Indigenous influence and once they found The Grandmothers they decided to formalize The Muskrat French Métis community. This community continues today several years after their passing.
The question really is, what constitutes Métis? And that is a question that is rife with opposing views. So while the legitimacy of this community is a complex and ongoing conversation, I continue to listen, learn, and approach it with humility. What I carry from this lineage is a sense of belonging, story, kinship and reverence for those who came before me.