Become part of the Canadian visual arts community
FEATURED ARTIST
Paulette Melanson
I was born in 1953 in the Acadian village of Scoudouc, New Brunswick. My introduction to formal art education began at my high school in Shediac, NB, where I completed two art credits. At an exhibition in 1971, I sold my first abstract painting, 24in x 36in, for $50, a healthy sum at that time. The provincial French newspaper wrote a piece about ‘the young Acadian artist and her painting’. This opened a world of dreams for me. I had always believed it would be unlikely for a person like me to become a practicing artist.
Although visual arts were in my heart, I decided to pursue studies in science at the Université de Moncton and graduated with a B.Sc. in biology in 1975. I also studied education at UNB (B.Ed. 1977) and Dalhousie University (M.Ed. 1990). My move to Halifax for work in 1985 provided an opportunity to pursue studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and to hopefully fulfill my ultimate goal of becoming a visual artist full time. The move to NS also brought me closer to my ancestors’ roots from the very early days of l’Acadie.
I took as many art courses and workshops as I could fit in my work schedule. It became an obsession to learn from the masters as I packed paints and paper in my suitcase everywhere I travelled all over the country for my work as a mediator with Parks Canada. Finally in 2011, my dream of becoming a fulltime practicing artist came true. I now have a studio in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia where I live.
Many thanks to our Institutional Associates
Many thanks to our Partners
