There has been one main theme throughout Deanna Lavoie’s series of work. “Revel in the ordinary, for it is extraordinary” “all the while celebrating the instinctive desire of a child to explore the world around “, with her watercolour ground-scapes exploring those small beautiful scenes ‘beneath your feet’ to the glorious mountain-scapes with her current childhood series exploring their sense of wonder and imagination.
Deanna’s first series, close-ups of nature or ground-scapes, were driven from her childhood explorations at the lake and field near her home. She felt a one-ness with those seemingly ordinary, yet lively scenes. Deanna sensed these scenes needed a voice to show how truly extra-ordinary they were. Having grown up in Saskatchewan, moving to Calgary then graduating from the Alberta College of Art and Design, the mountains began to call on her creativity as did the boldness of the acrylic medium.
This mountain-scape series, held Deanna’s attention until those “Youthful Whispers” came calling. She is now exploring the joy of childhood exploration returning to those days when she was the joyful explorer and rejoiced in the ordinary as a child. This series also has deep roots to one’s own inner child while listening to our “youthful whispers” of carefree knowledge. Young children have much to teach us as adults about delighting in the seemingly mundane which they see as extraordinary. They are full of imagination and creativity – these are qualities that guide healing and exude a positive feeling that is depicted Deanna Lavoie’s artwork.
Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, making art was a large part of Deanna’s life as long as she can remember. She graduated in 1994 with distinction from the Alberta College of Art & Design (ACAD), in Calgary, where she majored in printmaking. In 2002, she achieved her Bachelor of Fine Arts from ACAD.
Deanna's work has been included in exhibitions and collections in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In 2013, she was a finalist in the prestigious Gallipoli Memorial Art Awards in Sydney, Australia. In 2015, her acrylic on canvas, That Time of Day was a finalist at the Calgary Stampede Western Art Auction. Recently feeling emboldened as an artist to do more than simply wear a poppy, she completed a life size painting, The Journey to Remembrance, which commemorates the First World War. This personal expression of remembrance is currently on loan to The Military Museums of Calgary.
Her fascination for exploration led onto travelling with extended residence in both Australia and New Zealand. Presently, Deanna resides with her husband, two children, parrot and dog in Longview, Alberta.
Find out more about Deanne on her website: https://www.deannalavoie.com/