Chanel DesRoches
Artist member since 2022
Guelph, Ontario
Chanel works in the moment. Surrendering feelings onto a surface is her way of suggesting that there is a personal narrative behind all of the vibrant, lively lines and colour. She represents time through change; the evolution of varying colour waves, sporadic mark marking, and the constant struggle of trying to reveal the contrasting moments amongst the haziness. The first impression of passion and energy then carefully wanders to afterthoughts of suppression and distraction. Chanel approaches the story behind her work from a mental health perspective; the paintings are anxious internal battles. Chanel transfers her minds thinking process and train of thought onto something that we can see and talk about. Chanel is presently a Master of Fine Art candidate at York University in Toronto, Ontario. Chanel holds a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Studio Art from the School of Fine Art & Music at the University of Guelph, located in Guelph ON Canada - studying painting, drawing, and printmaking under the teachings of highly experienced Guelph and Toronto based professors and artists.
A passion project since 2020, Chanel is the owner and director of an arts collective studio space Necessary Arts Collective, located in Downtown Guelph. The space provides 12 to 15 artists an inclusive, accessible, affordable, and safe space to work creatively. Chanel has also introduced a new window gallery space called N/A Gallery for local emerging artists to exhibit their work.
Inside the Studio
Q+A
Coffees per day and from where
One in the morning is ideal, homemade or Starbucks
Why is art important to you?
I think visual communication and expression is important, beyond what words can do. Painting introduces raw feeling.
How long have you been creating art?
Informally as a child and teenager; but officially since 2015, the start of my undergraduate degree.
When I'm not making art, I'm (a) ...
Wife, Dog Mom, Homebody & Co-working Studio Owner
When did you start making art, and why?
Making large-scale, sporadic and emotionally charged work fed a part of me that grieved my younger self. Life not going the way I thought it would, in a surprisingly successful direction. It was never supposed to go this way, as a rebellious run-away 16 year that craved independence.
Favourite medium
Oil Paint
Select Past Exhibitions
2022
2022
2021
2021
2021
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2018
2018
Accolades
2022
2021
2020
2019
2019
2019
Press
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2019
Education
Social
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