Margaret Chwialkowska was born and educated in Poland and settled in Canada in 1979. Her painting is inspired by nature, particularly the power and richness of the North American landscape. Many of her works grew out of travels to the Northwest Territories, the US, and throughout Ontario’s vast lakes and forest. Today she works primarily in the Ottawa area, focusing on the banks of the Ottawa River and the forests of the Gatineau Hills, working to capture both its timeless grandeur and the ever-changing moods of its snow-banks, trees and sunsets. She is represented by Foyer Gallery in Ottawa, Galerie Klimantiris in Montreal and Agora Gallery in New York.

Artist's Statement

I paint "alla prima", blending the pigments together on the canvas using a palette knife. This technique allows textures to evolve naturally, and permits a loose, spontaneous style an din turn evokes the tactile quality of my subjects. The goal of my painting is to evoke the mood of a natural setting and to capture the feeling of being overwhelmed by the natural, almost magical beauty of a landscape. I want to take the viewer on a walk with me. I am captivated by the creative process of painting and am compelled by spirituality that overtakes me when contemplating a landscape. I want my art to be positive, free, beautiful, and romantic - something you cannot live without.