About the Artist
Belia van Essen Brandow
Belia was born in the Netherlands and moved to Canada with her family at the age of 5. Until she was 19, Belia lived in Winona, a small community in the heart of the fruit belt between Hamilton and Niagara Falls. She has lived in Eastern Ontario along the St. Lawrence River for the past 42 years and currently resides in Lyn, a small rural community outside of Brockville.
Belia has a Fine Arts Diploma from St. Lawrence College and has been painting for 25 years. Being creative has always been a part of Belia’s life, having taken many courses in the creative arts field over the years - fashion design, interior decorating, weaving, creative sewing, photography and drawing. She did not begin painting or show an interest in the fine arts until later in life. While still working full time as C.E.O of a community Mental Health program, Belia enrolled in the fine Arts Program at St. Lawrence College on a part time basis, graduating in 2014. Since retirement in 2012, Belia has been dedicated to improving her painting skills by painting daily, continuing to take courses and is actively involved in the promotion of the Fine Arts Community through various Artists Associations, groups and shows.
Belia has shown at numerous juried shows over the years and won various prizes and recognition for her work. Her work hangs in corporate offices and homes across Canada, United States and Europe.
Belia tells a story with paint on canvas .She paints primarily for the joy it gives her to create something visually pleasing and, technically to be able to paint something that matches the vision and story she had in mind before starting the painting. She presents herself with a new challenge for each painting.
She is a realist painter influenced by the traditional Dutch Masters and contemporary artists such as David Leffiel. Her subject matter reflects the world around her. A lifelong collector of stuff, her antiques and family heirlooms are a constant inspiration for her still life paintings as is the local scenery for her Plein Air and landscape paintings. Belia works primarily in oils and acrylics.
In 2020, her work can be viewed at the following venues:
Belia van Essen Brandow
Belia was born in the Netherlands and moved to Canada with her family at the age of 5. Until she was 19, Belia lived in Winona, a small community in the heart of the fruit belt between Hamilton and Niagara Falls. She has lived in Eastern Ontario along the St. Lawrence River for the past 42 years and currently resides in Lyn, a small rural community outside of Brockville.
Belia has a Fine Arts Diploma from St. Lawrence College and has been painting for 25 years. Being creative has always been a part of Belia’s life, having taken many courses in the creative arts field over the years - fashion design, interior decorating, weaving, creative sewing, photography and drawing. She did not begin painting or show an interest in the fine arts until later in life. While still working full time as C.E.O of a community Mental Health program, Belia enrolled in the fine Arts Program at St. Lawrence College on a part time basis, graduating in 2014. Since retirement in 2012, Belia has been dedicated to improving her painting skills by painting daily, continuing to take courses and is actively involved in the promotion of the Fine Arts Community through various Artists Associations, groups and shows.
Belia has shown at numerous juried shows over the years and won various prizes and recognition for her work. Her work hangs in corporate offices and homes across Canada, United States and Europe.
Belia tells a story with paint on canvas .She paints primarily for the joy it gives her to create something visually pleasing and, technically to be able to paint something that matches the vision and story she had in mind before starting the painting. She presents herself with a new challenge for each painting.
She is a realist painter influenced by the traditional Dutch Masters and contemporary artists such as David Leffiel. Her subject matter reflects the world around her. A lifelong collector of stuff, her antiques and family heirlooms are a constant inspiration for her still life paintings as is the local scenery for her Plein Air and landscape paintings. Belia works primarily in oils and acrylics.
In 2020, her work can be viewed at the following venues:
- Before the Summer Show – Gananoque Theatre, May 1, 2 and 3 ( Cancelled)
- HANG UPS GALLERY 24 St. Andrews St, Brockville
- Rideau Lakes Arts Association online Gallery . ( Spring 2020)
- Kingston School of Art Juried Show at the Window Gallery Kingston ( July 2020)
- Home Studio Gallery - by appointment