"Cowichan Sunshine Girls"

Pauline was raised in a farming community in Southern Manitoba, Canada, spending her childhood showing horses, gardening, and participating in 4H activities. Art was her favorite subject in school, but her fear of being a "starving artist" prompted her to pursue an education in agriculture. She worked in veterinary technology and research in Alberta, Canada for 20 years, working primarily with horses and cattle. In her free time, when she wasn't gardening or riding horses, she pursued creative hobbies including folk art painting and home styling. In 2008 she retired from veterinary medicine and relocated to Vancouver Island to run a home staging company. She began painting in acrylics to decorate the homes and soon realized that she would rather paint than stage homes. 

Through practice, experimentation and taking inspiring workshops with some of the finest painters on Vancouver Island, Pauline has developed her own bold style. She loves painting large, color saturated images, in a realistic yet painterly style. Her subjects frequently reflect her country roots, featuring animals and dramatic florals. Her intimate association with animals and understanding of their anatomy is seen in her detailed depictions. Pauline chooses to paint the eyes of an animal early in the process, so their soul feels present as she works. "When the animal is looking at me, it's as if they are holding me accountable to do a good job of painting them." She also paints dramatic water scenes, inspired by living close to the Pacific Ocean and spending winters in the Yucatan, Mexico. 

"I've always been happiest when I'm creating something, whether it be sewing, gardening, styling homes, or painting."