Return to the Forest | Valerie Peasey and Heather Gillespie

“Into the Forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul”.
John Muir

Return to the Forest where Heather and Valerie connect emotionally through their mutual passion for the absolute beauty of our Canadian forests, both real and imagined, from Valerie’s realistic depictions of her heartfelt moments spent at her cabin in Ontario to Heather’s impressions of nature are influenced by her time immersed in the beauty of Manitoba at Riding Mountain, The Whiteshell, Winnipeg Beach, and Gimli, equally represented are scenes created by merging all of these gorgeous places into unique artworks: visions of trees, skies, lakes, shores and wildlife. A breath-taking journey from gathering the scent of wildflowers on the prairie en route to the lake, to feeling the breeze of the lakeshore upon arrival. Then stroll along the sand, embrace the sound of the water lapping on the rocks and watch a Canada Goose fly across the lake. Join them in the beautifully crafted serenity of their combined forest! Bask in the feelings of peace, joy, and tranquil contentment that nature brings to the soul. Be at one with nature.

Meet the Artist Times

Thursday, March 16

Friday, March 17 & 24

Saturday, March 18 & 25

About the Artists

Heather Gillespie is a landscape painter from Winnipeg, Manitoba. During her youth, she attended The School of Art at the University of Manitoba. She then set painting aside while raising a family and worked many years in healthcare. Now retired, Heather has reconnected with her paint brush and devotes her time to refining her acrylic painting skills. She is a member of the Assiniboia Group of Artists and is a studio artist at Cre8ery Gallery and Studio in Winnipeg.

Heather is a gifted visual artist who delights in sharing her impressions of the magical beauty of our Manitoba lakes and forests. She embraces emotion and mixes it with colour and light which dances from her brush onto canvas. Her excellent sense of colour and bold brushstrokes display the vibrant life of nature in a most compelling way. These invigorating and expressive compositions capture and transport us toward dreams amongst the trees!

Valerie Peasey is an artist who enjoys mainly painting wildlife. Having grown up in north western Ontario, she developed a love for the rugged beauty of her surroundings. After living in Winnipeg and working as an NICU nurse for many years, she and her husband bought a cottage near Vermilion Bay Ontario. Her paintings come from many of the reference photographs taken while boating on nearby lakes and creeks.