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#EVERYARTORIGINAL
Free Art Exhibition
July 11th to August 24th
Mon – Fri 11AM – 4PM
5659 Dunbar Street, Vancouver
“I couldn’t imagine life without art. It’s so universal in the fact that it affects everyone, yet so individual in that everyone can have a completely unique experience. There’s really nothing else like it in the world”- Caitlin Reid
“Sea to Sky” by Caitlin Reid
The bright colours and the stark contrast of Caitlin Reid’s Pacific West Coast landscape paintings will capture your attention once you step into Gryphon Musée’s newest summer exhibition “Every Art Original”. Shades of orange, purple, pinks and blues interweave in bold and distinctive strokes to emulate the emotions you feel when gazing into the breathtaking West Coast landscape with its ever-changing colours.
Our passion for art and our appreciation for the beauty of Pacific West Coast led us to Vancouver based artist Caitlin Reid. Caitlin’s original and distinctive style captured our attention in its ability to instill a sense of peace and tranquility in its viewers. Caitlin hopes her various landscape paintings can evoke emotions, memories and nostalgia in her audience; whether it is the feeling you get from watching the sun setting in a cotton candy-coloured sky over the mountains of the North Shore or the stir of the gentle waves you observe while sitting on a bench along the seawall of Vancouver’s Stanley Park. The only way to fully experience Caitlin’s work is to see the vibrant paintings in person. Caitlin’s paintings will be on display alongside artist Fiona Tang’s large-scale 3D animal murals at the Gryphon Musée throughout this summer, a perfect place to enjoy an inspiring art walk with your family and friends.
Our mission at the Gryphon Musée is to bring emerging young artists like Caitlin and Fiona to the spotlight, giving young talents in Vancouver a stage to showcase their work, we see the Musée as a platform to share and respond to what we are passionate about. For the viewers, it is a welcoming public space to start a dialogue, to draw inspiration, or to be touched by emotions.
About Caitlin Reid
Cait Reid is a self-taught contemporary artist born in Vancouver and raised on Vancouver Island.
She has always had a strong affinity for the West Coast and is in constant awe of nature’s moods and colours. Both at home and away, Cait is constantly chasing sunsets and the sea.
C – Caitlin Reid
G – Gryphon Development
G: Why did you choose the type of painting you are known for?
C: I have always been into painting from a young age. It took a backseat while I attended University of Victoria and received my degree in Anthropology. I was constantly travelling during this time and experiencing many cultures and landscapes. When I moved to Vancouver in 2013, I absolutely fell in love with this place! It was breathtaking! It forced me to paint the emotions I felt from seeing the beauty in the landscape. This inspired me to paint my favourite places I had visited outside of Vancouver. It was a creative outlet for me, expressing my love for where I am and places I’ve been.
G: Is there anything else you enjoy drawing other than landscapes?
C: I grew up painting and drawing mostly portraits, but the communal sense of belonging that I feel from drawing landscapes resonates with me. Everyone has a certain memory associated with a place and I hope my art can trigger those memories.
G: How would you describe your style of painting?
C: The best way I can describe my style is abstract West Coast landscape. It’s emotional and fluid, bright and bold, but with more realistic aspects. I focus mostly on how a landscape feels to me and then add the realistic aspects to make it recognizable.
G: What are some of your favourite pieces that you have done in the past? Why?
C: Some of the pieces that I have a soft spot for are the pieces that have been commissioned. They originated from a photo with great sentimental value to someone, while giving me the creative freedom to express myself through my style. It is the utmost gift that I get to create something with their memories.
“West Coast Grey” by Caitlin Reid
G: Do you have a muse? Any artists inspired you greatly?
C: The landscapes I fell in love with are my ultimate muse. In terms of artists, Ted Harrison was a huge inspiration. His use of colours to provoke emotions struck me from a very young age, I remember painting in his style in grade school! Chili Thom was another great influence on me. His love for Whistler and BC is evident in the landscapes he painted. The vivid colours both artists use in their expression of landscape tells a story filled with emotions. They both have a way of making the viewer both an outsider looking in and being someone in the landscape itself.
G: Where do you want to go in your path as an artist?
C: Right now I am along for the ride! I would love to be able to paint full-time and constantly create emotions and memories of the beloved places I attempt to capture in my paintings. But for now, I am excited to see what the future brings in terms of challenges and inspirations! I will never stop painting the places that mean so much to me.
“We found love” by Caitlin Reid
G: What are some things you do in your spare time other than drawing?
C: I love to travel to places that will inspire me. Finding new sources of inspiration and chasing sunsets is my favourite pastime. I also love wandering with my dog in the pristine landscapes we are lucky enough to call our backyard.
G: What are some of your favourite places in the Pacific West Coast you would draw again and again?
C: I constantly repaint Siwash Rock and the seawall around Stanley Park. I have also repainted numerous scenes with a bold and vivid sky and Pacific Coast trees in the foreground. A kind of anywhere West Coast feeling. It’s the feeling of looking up at a sunset with the silhouettes of the trees and not knowing exactly where you are.
“Siwash rock” by Caitlin Reid
G: What is your biggest challenge as an artist?
C: My biggest challenge has been realizing that you can’t please everyone. It’s interesting to see what I think will have a certain reaction, compared to how people actually react. Everyone has a different view and concept of art, which is what makes it so amazing. Ultimately, I would love to paint places in a way that people will relate to, in their connection to a certain place and time.
We want to thank Caitlin for taking her time to have this inspiring conversation with us. To learn more about Caitlin Reid, visit her website here.
Visit the Gryphon Musée between Monday to Friday 11am- 4pm (except holidays) for a fun, stimulating and engaging exhibition featuring the works of artist Fiona Tang and Caitlin Reid. Follow us on our social media for the most up-to-date news on the #EveryArtOriginal exhibition and our bi-weekly giveaway over the summer!
