Rita Shellard |
Rita ShellardBorn in Luxembourg, Rita Shellard came to Canada in 1951. She has always been involved in the art scene in one way or another, ever since she can remember. From early childhood, she dreamed of "becoming a painter some day". Enrolling in the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montreal in 1954, Rita Shellard has painted and studied techniques of painting on and off for over twenty years. Unable to resist the drive to paint continually any longer, she turned full time to her easel in 1974 and has become one of Canada's most prolific painters. To date, Rita Shellard has produced over 1,800 paintings of a professional caliber. Her favourite subjects are: flowers, landscapes, seascapes, nostalgia, homes and gardens, though we must not forget some of her most outstanding works depicting scenes of our Nation's Capital. The names of all those works begin with "Capital...". Most of these are gracing the walls of such places as "The Royal Canadian Mint", the financial institution "Arthur Anderson", legal institutions and private collections in Canada, the United States, Europe, the West Indies and Mexico. "Capital Romance", one of her large Ottawa scenes, made its way to the home of the ambassador of Niger. Five of her Ottawa scenes are available in limited edition form. Rita continually receives commissions to create paintings of Canadian homes and gardens. Equally at home with oils and watercolours, the detail she brings to her work has won her wide acclaim. She thinks of herself as a "realist" and a "colorist", both of which are very evident in her paintings. She has acted as a member of the jury on many occasions and has had a number of solo exhibitions. Her works are on display in several galleries throughout Canada. You will find her name in Vol. 8 of The Dictionary of Canadian Artists. Rita Shellard lived in Ottawa for eleven years where she owned an art gallery called "INSPIRATION" and an art school of the same name. She is the founding president of the "Lake of Two Mountains Artists Association" in Hudson, Quebec. Rita continues to create beautiful works of art in her home and she continues to be a very committed and successful art teacher since 1979 at her own school which she named "Inspiration" of course. |