Exhibition by Colleen Telford | November 3-28
Colleen Telford grew up in Guelph and now lives in Fergus. She is a primarily self-taught artist who finds inspiration in the natural world and what it can teach us about strength and perseverance. Colleen often creates trees, seeing them as symbols of hope, strength, and resilience. The settings where these trees grow are central to her work, inviting viewers to reflect on the stories of peace, calm, chaos, messiness, and even violence that shape our lives. As a survivor of domestic violence,
Colleen shows how strength and resilience can emerge from difficult times. Creating art helps her process these experiences and supports her healing and growth.
Not To Scale
This collection reflects an 18-month journey of enthusiastic exploration and artistic growth. With each mixed media piece, I reconnect with the wonder and curiosity of my inner child as I collect fragments of nature during walks through my community and favourite places. These found treasures, along with textured acrylics and overlooked (and, let’s face it, hoarded) art supplies, help me create settings and landscapes meant to transport viewers. Some pieces recall cherished memories, while others invite us into new, imaginative worlds.
I am still searching for my authentic artistic voice, and this journey inspires my creativity every day. My themes are grounded in the natural world, but I am always trying new methods and materials, curious to see how each experiment changes the final piece. I find deep joy and fulfillment in turning a fleeting idea into a finished work of art, and often the process itself is as satisfying as completing the piece.
I am working to master the art of layering acrylic paint on different surfaces, aiming to show the contrast between the lasting beauty of nature and the changing realities of our world. To me, trees in their many settings symbolize hope, strength, and resilience. My work often captures these environments and invites viewers to consider the stories they tell, reflecting both calm and chaos, as well as the struggles we all face.
Creating art helps me heal and grow as I turn my experiences into visual stories. My work is shifting from mainly using acrylics to making mixed media pieces that are full of texture and meaning. This deliberately slow and thoughtful process has led me to explore what it means to seek individuality in a society that often values conformity. Please consider following along with my artistic journey:
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