Featured Artist April Lacheur

 

Artist April Lacheur presents her portfolio of colorful, flowing work. Enjoy and please visit her website for more.

 

 

I’m a self-taught acrylic painter working with bold colors and crisp lines to create unique works of art. I live in White Rock near Vancouver BC Canada and also work part-time as a Registered Nurse. Painting helps me find a real sense of balance in my life. I am often asked why my art business is called ‘Yapes Paints’; Yapes is a loving nickname and paints is what I do!

 

My work starts with an inspiration from a life experience; something small like a lovely walk outside or something huge like a life lesson just learned. I choose a color that I feel matches the experience.

 

 

I’m not much of a planner when it comes to my paintings. I have the general concept in my mind, and let the piece progress organically as I’m working with the acrylic paint. One of my favorite parts of painting is that the end result is often a pleasant surprise. I sometimes add other mediums including fabrics, metals and papers to my work giving life to some elements such as tree trunks or bird feathers.

 

 

 

 

My work is always finished with clean lines of acrylic ink. My style is unique and has developed over a long time, ever since I was a child. Having never taken formal art training, I have truly been free to let my style develop naturally. Bold colors, crisp lines, trees with twisting roots, birds with long legs and florals with dancing petals are common themes in my work.

 

The message in my work is always positive and may be different for every admirer. I use painting as a positive balancing element in my life and I think my true love and passion for it is reflected in my work. I am most well-known for my whimsical trees with twisting trunks and reaching branches. They signify deep roots, strong growth and tall ambition.

 

2012 promises to be another exciting year. I’m planning to do more pieces that incorporate metal. My husband Ren does the metal work in my paintings and it is something we really enjoy working on together. I also hope to expand the retail locations my art cards and prints can be found, as well as make my way out to Alberta to participate in a few art shows and markets.

 

I have shown my work in art fairs, galleries, cafes and retail locations around BC. My original paintings are part of private collections in Canada, USA, Australia, Asia and the UK. I plan to continue to create and share my work and am excited to see how my style and skills develop. It’s the start of a long and creative path ahead!