Memory's Story
Creativity has always been part of Memory’s life, though for many years it found expression through sewing and photography rather than painting. When art finally entered her world, it arrived unexpectedly—and as a gift that would change everything.
In September 2006, on a whim, Memory joined a friend for an art class without even knowing what it would be. The class turned out to be realism in oil. While it took time to fall in love with the medium, once she did, there was no turning back.
What began as a spontaneous decision quickly gained momentum. By 2009, she had won an award in the International Gamblin Torrit Grey Contest—the first competition she ever entered—and her winning painting, Boats at Portsoy, was published in American Artist magazine and featured on a Gamblin promotional poster.
As her career continued to build through awards and publications, life took an unexpected and heartbreaking turn. In early 2012, Memory’s husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She set her art aside without hesitation to care for him until his passing later that August.
Uncertain whether she could return to painting, Memory found strength in knowing her husband had been her greatest supporter. In November 2012, she traveled to Hawaii with her children and extended family. On their final day, while snorkeling, Memory and her daughter shared a profound experience swimming alongside a sea turtle. When she returned to the studio in January 2013, that moment became a source of inspiration—feeling as though her husband had gently encouraged her back to the easel.
Determined to rebuild momentum, Memory began challenging herself to show her work again. She submitted to the Night of Artists after a call from founder and producer Phil Alain and became a participating member, gaining opportunities to exhibit, sell, and be published annually in the NOA magazine. In 2014, her painting Boats at Portsoy 2 was featured on the magazine cover.
In 2015, Memory was invited to present a solo exhibition, Flower Power, at the Alcove Gallery at the Northern Alberta Jubilee, followed by a showing at the Southern Alberta Jubilee in Calgary. A few years later, she returned with a second solo exhibition featuring her Polar Bears series. At the opening, her largest work to date, Submerged (48" x 48"), sold.
Over time, Memory’s subject matter has remained richly diverse. She continues to return to florals and polar bears while regularly introducing new series and ideas. Commission work plays an important role in her practice, with clients seeking her realism for portraits as well as landscapes.
Photography has long been a constant companion. After her husband’s passing, Memory began spending time in a nearby provincial park and wetlands, where nature brought both peace and healing. These visits became the foundation for her Big Lake series. Photographing wildlife and landscape—marked by moose encounters, bald eagles overhead, and countless hours observing birds—has been both restorative and exhilarating. Many of these photographs now serve as reference material for her paintings.
Having lived and raised her children in St. Albert, Memory holds a deep connection to the community. That connection inspired her St. Albert series, beginning with Sturgeon Crossings, which was featured on the cover of the St. Albert Historical Society’s book A Bridge Over Time: The Continuing Story of St. Albert. Additional works have been selected for civic and commercial use, including The Trestle and St. Albert Trestle Bridge, featured in city publications and a Chamber of Commerce “Shop Local” campaign. Her work is represented by the Art Gallery of St. Albert, the Heritage Museum, and several local businesses, along with regular pop-up exhibitions.
In 2019, Memory was invited to submit her work to the Federation of Canadian Artists, an organization she had long admired. She was accepted during the launch of the FCA’s Edmonton chapter and went on to serve on the executive and participate in exhibitions both online during the pandemic and in the chapter’s first in-person shows in 2022. Her work has received two Honourable Mention Awards, including international recognition for Getting Closer (2020) and Begonia in Orange Cascade (2022).
Memory is a realism painter working primarily in oil, using a process inspired by the old masters. Each painting develops slowly, beginning with a monochromatic underpainting before colour is carefully introduced. Between observation, detail, and drying time, a single work may take months to complete—time she values as an essential part of the process.
Becoming a professional artist was never part of Memory’s plan, but it became her calling. Alongside the studio, she has embraced the business side of art and was nominated in 2022 for a Small Business Award of Excellence.
Memory’s family is her foundation, and art is her passion. Her journey has deepened her gratitude for faith, resilience, and community. Above all, she believes that even in life’s darkest seasons, purpose can be found—by looking toward the light, believing, and continuing to do the work.