Supriya James

Biography

Supriya James is a Toronto-based contemporary landscape artist, of Indo-Guyanese heritage. After a successful career as a Communications Consultant, with over 25 years of working in public relations, government, politics and the news media, she is furthering her proclivity for expression by undertaking another undergraduate degree at OCAD University, Toronto, Ontario (Drawing & Painting Program,  2021-2025 - BFA Hon).

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I see the world with a heightened sense of colour and react to it with raw emotion. The words of French painter, Eugène Delacroix resonate strongly within me and guide my creative compass: "Nature is a dictionary; one draws words from it".

I am also drawn to the spiritual energy I receive from the Canadian Shield (Georgian Bay, Ontario) and myriad international landscapes (Caribbean and Europe). These magical settings inspire my digital photography which is then used for the composition of my artwork that explores the thematic elements of ancestral history, memory, and temporality.

Intuitively, and via the bold use of colour and loose, gestural brushwork, my paintings embody my existentialist response to humankind's relationships with each other and the land.  A part, 2023 (displayed above), illustrates all of these elements and my recurring motif of roots as symbols demonstrating man's ties to the land.

It is my hope that my works are successful reminders for all to respect the environment and each other.

Supriya James, March 2024