Valerie Raynard is a Vancouver-born artist whose work is inspired by humanity "dramatic relationship with nature " a relationship both ecstatic and destructive which lies at the heart of our existence. Her fascination with the natural environment emerges in all her forms of self-expression.

Primarily self-taught, Valerie's artistic career has taken shape under the mentorship and teaching of local painter Ross Penhall. With a B.A. in Economics from the University of British Columbia and an MSc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics, Valerie`s search to understand the world has led her back to her own creativity. Through the creative process she feels she can glean something of what can be understood about life.

Valerie's paintings and drawings explore the contrast between the natural world and the human constructs we accept as part of our environment. She expresses herself primarily through colour, using it to break through a perceived 'reality' and touch another dimension shimmering just beyond. Donating artworks for environmental organizations such as the Forager Foundation and the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program of B.C. is part of her practice.

She has studios in Lions Bay, B.C. and Berlin, Germany.

`Life is More Glorious than Photographs` addresses the notion
that photography is the most `true` representation of
three-dimensional space in two dimensions. In this series of paintings,
Valerie Raynard continues to explore scenes of her beloved
West Coast, using photography to inform the work while seeking to enrich
the visual experience with dimensions of memory and emotion
far beyond what a photographic lens can achieve. Using broader
perspectives, strong foregrounds, and powerful colours, the paintings
create intense, immersive encounters with these familiar landscapes.

The title of the exhibition comes from the artist David Hockney, who has
said that photographs homogenize space and thus discourage `active
looking`.`
Valerie Raynard.



Valerie Raynard's CV