Cara Leanne creates bright and cheerful paintings, aiming to capture a joyful sense of energy. If one looks closely, hand-painted paper collage is featured prominently in much of her art, adding unique elements of texture and detail. As a mixed media artist from the Comox Valley, Cara draws inspiration from gorgeous flowers, serene seascapes––even quirky chickens!
“Collage––and making the collage papers themselves––are important parts of Cara’s process. She uses many different techniques to create a great variety of patterns, colors, and details on papers that are then used for collage. Some of the papers are sourced from repurposed old books or sheet music, allowing her to incorporate bits of printed text or musical notes, sometimes leaving meaningful words or phrases visible. Collage papers for each of her pieces are chosen carefully, then individually torn and added to the painted canvas.
“I create art simply because making art brings me joy! I choose to paint bright colors and cheerful subjects that I find lighthearted and joyful. My goal is to enjoy the challenge of the creative process and to end up with something that makes me happy. I hope my art can make someone else smile as well!”