I continue to work with acrylic and move back and forth between the palette knife and brush: allowing the subject matter to dictate the best process. I linger over flowers and vases, and feel drawn in by their bold displays of the colour spectrum; and labour over perfecting composition, and complementary colours.

Writing and composing poetry and stories, and creating recipes off the top of my head; performing in speech arts, and even dabbling a little into sketching and watercolor painting - what young girl hasn't enjoyed painting flowers in the garden , or repeatedly drawing horses and figures on the back of notebooks?  As much as I was creative, I also strived for order and structure, as a way to gather all my creative impulses, ideas and inspirations into one concrete expression that could allow me to express, create, and then move on. Growing up, it was difficult for me to find such a medium, and stick with it.

It was only when I endured true pain and loss however, in my personal life that I found painting - or I should say, painting found me. I began mentoring and learning with Michael Brouillet - now my husband. Under his supportive guidance, I started a healing journey through the visceral joy of painting; eventually coming to adopt it as a regular pursuit, in setting up in a studio at Welch Street Studios. 

I started off in oils and abstract expressionism, with colourful strokes, smears and splatters; and then moved on to palette work with large chunkey textures and blocks of colour; and I have continued to evolve and grow bolder and more confident with what my purpose is and how to best express it through the medium of paint. 

To this day, I continue to work with the palette knife, and move back and forth between acrylic and oils: allowing the subject matter to dictate the best medium. I linger over flowers and vases, and feel drawn in by their bold displays of the colour spectrum; and labour over perfecting composition, and complementary colours. Alas, nothing is perfect or ever can be perfected - and flowers are a beautiful example of the 'perfect imperfection' I seek to demonstrate in my paintings. I use the thick lusciousness of colour to display the beautiful imperfections; going with the flaw. For that is where I find my inspiration, in this big beautiful world. 

Tanya Vipond

Tanya's Art

Our Studio

Welch Street Studios
Studio #1, 1178 Welch Street, just east of Pemberton Ave in North Vancouver.

Located at 1178 Welch Street east of Pemberton Ave., in the District of North Vancouver, our building is beside the Spirit Trail path west of the Lower Mackay Creek Trail.

Our studio is located in the Welch Street Studios building contains space designed specifically a unique collective of nine artists.

The studios offer an opportunity for the public to visit artists in their work space. Our goal is to build connections between artists and the public. It is a chance to visit working studios, ask questions, learn about techniques and build relationships with the artists. This is also where you can buy art direct from the artist and get first hand, the details and story of your new piece of artwork.