Featured Artist Colleen Rieu

Artist Colleen Rieu shares a collection of abstract paintings that vibrate with energy and color. See more of her work on her website.

 

 

I create art because it’s easier for me to express myself with paint than words.

 

 

I’ve always been a creative. I made paper doll cutouts and clothing as a young girl in the 60’s, and drew gag cartoons for magazines as I attempted to follow in my father’s footsteps.

 

 

In the eighties we started a family. My passion was decorating our home and planting our gardens. Twenty years later, I became fascinated with designing homes. In the end, we built six of them.

 

 

In 2017, we left mainland British Columbia to retire on beautiful Vancouver Island. That’s where the painting started.

 

 

I dabbled a bit with watercolours, but eventually acrylics became my medium of choice. I paint any subject that calls to me. Mostly I enjoy the abstract side of art where I can let my freak fly!

 

 

I love the fast and furious strokes that escape with intuitive art making. Every piece created starts with scribbles on paper or canvas to break that menacing white surface. Abstracts truly are a bearing of the soul. I love that this beauty comes from within—you know there is no other painting identical to what your spirit produces.

 

 

I prefer to paint large so I can throw my whole body into the work as I move to some good tunes. My moods also play a huge role in what develops, hence the nickname Moodist which I have given myself.

 

 

When a painting I’m working on doesn’t give me the “feels” I can easily and without hesitation paint over it and start anew. Then, amazingly something wonderful can develop.

 

 

Oddly, the paintings I fall hard for don’t always resonate with others and the ones that I feel miss the mark are a hit. Therefore, I don’t believe there is bad art. Every painting will have a lover or buyer eventually.

 

 

I say just paint what makes you happy, and show the real you!

 

Artist Colleen Rieu invites you to follow her on Instagram.

 

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