About Carmen

Carmen Gonzalez is standing near her paintings

Carmen (Bourassa) Gonzalez was born and raised (by her French Canadian parents) in Edmonton, Alberta which is where she still lives today. Her Chilean born husband and Carmen have three grown children. She works full time as a fine artist and is active in Edmonton’s artist community.

Carmen grew up watching her artist mother paint and draw. In her teenage years, she became very passionate about art and spent most of her spare time drawing. However, after completing high school, she took a different path away from art as an administrative assistant then as a process & electrical draftsperson. However, in 1998, life changed when Carmen was in a car accident. After struggling with her injuries for 8 years, she entered into an intense rehabilitation program in 2006. During the rehab program, Carmen was required to set a long term goal. Her selected goal was to pursue her dream of becoming a full time artist. Her rehab experience was life changing as she accomplished things she never thought she could do. Once she returned home, she immediately began taking art classes as part of her rehabilitation.

Her art career began as a watercolourist while being a full time mother. She began exhibiting and selling her work. In 2009, she enrolled in the Visual Fine Arts program at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta and graduated in April 2013. During her studies, she discovered her fun contemporary realism/pop/pattern art style. Her compositions are happy, playful, and nostalgic with the use of colours and patterns. Her subject matter often triggers our inner child, memories of the old times, or floral tranquility.

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I love creating joyful paintings. I am especially inspired to paint nostalgic objects due to their history and how they trigger sentimental memories. I intentionally create patterned backgrounds to add character to my still life objects. The combination of the two gives each painting more personality and ambience. My artist brain is continuously communicating to me in shapes and colours. Ultimately, patterns have become my language. I feel my painting would not speak to me if it did not have a patterned background. As well, I enjoy creating bold paintings which helps to stimulate your senses like taste, smell, or touch at the same time evoke those strong fond memories. My paintings are a visual feast causing my viewers to “taste with their eyes”. But primarily, my focus is to create fun, meaningful, uplifting art that makes people smile inside and out!!.”

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA)– Active Level member ( Sept. 2019 to current)
  • FCA Edmonton Chapter – Affiliate member (April 2020 to current), Executive Board -Treasurer (April 2020 to May 2022)
  • Night of the Artists (NOA) – member (2013 to current) nightofartist.com
  • Mondial Art Academia (MAA) – member (2016 to 2020) mondialartacademia.com
  • Society of Western Canadian Artists (SWCA) – member (2009 to 2019), achieved Signature Level, and Chair for Standards Committee (2013 to 2015) www.swcartist.ca
EDUCATION
  • Sept 2009 to April 2013 – Visual Fine Arts, University of Alberta, Faculty of Extension
  • Sept 1993 to April 1996 – Engineer Design and Drafting Program, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
EXHIBITS/SHOWS
  • Mar 2022 – In-Bloom Square Foot Show featuring Debbie Miller, on-line group show
  • Mar 2021 – Chapter Spring Show, on-line group show, Federation of Canadian Artists – Edmonton Chapter, juried show by FCA head office
  • Nov 2020 – “Square Foot”, gallery group show, Paula White Diamond Gallery, Waterloo, ON
  • Oct 2020 – “Big Ideas”, gallery group show, Paula White Diamond Gallery, Waterloo, ON
  • Sept 2020 – “Julia Veenstra Square Foot show”, on-line group show
  • Nov 2020 – Chapter Inaugural Fall Show, on-line group show, Federation of Canadian Artists – Edmonton Chapter, juried show by FCA Head office
  • April 2020 – “Social Distancing”, international group show, Federation of Canadian Artists Vancouver, juried show by FCA head office Vancouver
  • Sept 2019 – “Julia Veenstra Square Foot show”, gallery group show, Hamilton, ON
  • Sept 2019 to Aug 2021 “Lure” – TREX Program (traveling exhibition to all over Alberta) a program coordinated by the Art Gallery of Alberta (AFA) and government sponsored by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA).
  • Dec 2018 – “Julia Veenstra Square Foot show”, gallery group show, Hamilton, ON
  • Dec 2017 to Jan 2018 – Highlevel Diner, Solo Show in diner
  • June 2016 – Scotia Place Gallery, juried group exhibit for SWCA members
  • Oct 2014 – Tasting with Your Eyes – Daffodil Gallery, Solo Exhibition
  • Jun 2014 – Colourful Candy Memories – Garden Cafe Gallery, Misericordia Hospital
  • Nov 2013 – Curiosity Show, VASA Gallery, SWCA exhibition
  • Nov 2013 – Mixed Media, CAVA, group exhibition
  • April 2013 – Lure of Colourful Candy, Graduate Solo Exhibition, UofA Extension Gallery
  • April 2011 – Femmes en Or, CAVA, group exhibition
  • Sept 2010 – Fourteen, Scotia Place Gallery, juried group exhibit for SWCA members
  • Mar 2010 – Celebration of Colours, CAVA, group exhibit
  • Dec 2009 – Miniatures, CAVA, group exhibition
  • Oct 2009 – Two Doze, Scotia Place Gallery, juried group exhibit for SWCA members
  • Mar 2009 – Variety of Life, CAVA, group exhibition
  • Dec 2008 – Miniatures, Centre d’arts visuels de l’Alberta (CAVA), group exhibit
PUBLICATIONS
  • The World of Interiors – “Artistic Impressions”, Conte Nast, London, England – Oct 2019, Nov 2019, and Dec 2019 Issues
  • House & Garden – “Art Edit”, Conte Nast, London, England – Sept 2019, Oct 2019, and Nov 2019 Issues
  • NOA Magazine, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, Yearly magazine, issues 2013 to 2020
EVENTS & FESTIVALS
  • Mar 2022 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Nov 2021 – VICA Show, Sherwood Park
  • Sept 2021 – Strathearn ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • June & July 2021 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • July 2019 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Mar 2019 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Sept 2018 – Strathearn ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • July 2018 – KDays, The Village, Edmonton
  • July 2018 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Mar 2018 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Sept 2017 – Strathearn ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • July 2017 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • June 2017 – The Works Art & Design Festival, Edmonton
  • Mar 2017 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Dec 2016 – Pop-Up heART Market, 124 Street, Edmonton
  • Sept 2016 – Strathearn ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Sept 2016 – Riverbend “Art in the Park”, Edmonton
  • July 2016 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Mar 2016 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Sept 2015 – Griesbach Art in the Park, Edmonton
  • Sept 2015 – Riverbend “Art in the Park”, Edmonton
  • July 2015 – Taste of Edmonton
  • July 2015 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Mar 2015 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Nov 2014 – NOA Christmas Art Show/Sale, Edmonton
  • Nov 2014 – Make It: Handmade Revolution Art/Craft Fair, St. Albert
  • Sept 2014 – Riverbend “Art in the Park”, Edmonton
  • Sept 2014 – Annual Kaleido Family Festival, Edmonton
  • July 2014 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • May 2014 – Butterdome Spring Craft Show, Edmonton
  • May 2014 – EEK Pop Cuture Festival, St. Albert
  • Mar 2014 – Night of Artists Art Festival (NOA), St. Albert
  • Nov 2013 – Make It: Handmade Revolution Art/Craft Fair, St. Albert
  • Sept 2013 – Annual Kaleido Family Festival, Edmonton
  • July 2013 – Taste of Edmonton, Edmonton
  • July 2013 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton
  • Nov 2012 – Make It: Handmade Revolution Art/Craft Fair, St. Albert
  • Oct 2012 – Urban Mommy Expo, Craft Fair, Edmonton
  • Sept 2012 – Annual Kaleido Family Festival, Edmonton
  • July 2012 – Whyte Ave ArtWalk, Edmonton