I was born and raised in small towns in Southern Ontario. I graduated from the University of Toronto as a Physical Therapist and have worked as a therapist for over 35 years. Painting has been my passion and right brain escape for 20 of those years. My arts education has included courses at the Toronto School of Art and The Haliburton School of Fine Art. In 2007 I bought what had once been the Plainfield Grist Mill and General Store on the Moira River and I set up Grist Mill Studio.
Painting is an adventurous and unpredictable process for me. The act of putting paint to canvas opens a world of possibilities. Rarely do I end up where I had intended to go. A photo, a sketch, a passing image or view may be the inspiration, but sticking to any kind of “plan” feels like a straightjacket. I often work in series as I explore themes more fully and stretch both their meaning and my interpretation. I often start with an abstract colour field and further develop images through the use of mark making and collage elements. Landscape and the natural world are a special part of my life. I am very much an outdoor person whether hiking the Bruce Trail, kayaking Georgian Bay or skiing the Rockies. Nature is one huge canvas filled with colour, design and wonderful imagery. The sound and feel of the wind, shimmering mountain light, the smell of the rich, warm earth…all are so familiar to me. I paint places I have experienced and those I can only imagine. The human figure is a unique landscape in and of itself. My academic education in anatomy and human kinetics and years of handling the human body as a physical therapist have provided me with an intellectual view of the figure. But we are so much more than our anatomical parts – we express our emotions and intentions through postures, movement and gesture. As I explore the human figure through painting and drawing I hope to convey body language as the outward expression of an inner life. Solo Exhibitions: Hangman Gallery Group Exhibitions: ACA Gallery, Ben Navaee Gallery, AWOL Gallery, Hangman Gallery, Latcham Gallery, Agnes Jamieson Gallery, McMichael Canadian Collection, Gallery ArtPlus, Gallery 121, Alton Mill Gallery Professional Affiliations: Hastings Arts Route, Quinte Arts Council, Tweed and Area Arts Council, Artists Network of Riverdale (Toronto), CARFAC Email: marietimbers@look.ca Website: www.marietimbers.ca |