Ariel Shea
Artist member since 2020
Montreal, Québec
Born in 1994, Ariel Shea spent the first six years of her career as a self-taught artist. At twenty-six, she began her bachelor's degree in fine arts at Concordia University, where she is majoring in studio arts. With painting and drawing being Ariel’s focus, her most recent work strives to meld the two worlds, where she is crafting a language through abstraction. Ariel has shown in galleries across Montreal, and Italy, while her work has been acquired by private collectors across North America. She’s been a two-time recipient of the FASA Special Projects Grant, and completed her first residency with Art Souterrain in the summer of 2021. She had her first double solo show this last November at Yellow Fish Art Gallery and will be presenting work with the same Gallery in Milan this May.
Inside the Studio
Q+A
Favourite medium
My favorite medium is definitely oil on canvas. I love the texture and the sensation of the brush to canvas. It is also a very traditional medium, and I like the idea of subverting traditional mediums with a more contemporary lense.
During my breaks, I tend to ...
After a few hours of painting I love to take a little break and maybe make some food, or some tea. Because I paint at home, I will typically make some lunch and hang out with my boyfriend and chat about what we are working on. I also enjoy taking walks around the neighbourhood for inspiration or a palette cleanse.
How long have you been creating art?
I've been making art since I was a child. We loved crafts, and I was always painting with my watercolor sets. My dad always encouraged me to pursue art, so that's what I did! I continued making art throughout high school and decided to move to Montreal to take my painting seriously. I taught myself how to paint and established myself here in Montreal as a painter.
Select Past Exhibitions
2019
2019
2019
2020
2020
2021
2021
2022
2022
2023
2023
Accolades
2023
2024
Residencies
-2021
Education
2021
Social
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