BÄRBEL SMITH, SCA, OSA, AFCA
Biography | Artist Statement | C.V. (Shows and Exhibitions)| Representation
Biography:
Bärbel Smith is a contemporary Canadian artist renowned for her vibrant, semi-representational landscapes that illuminate the spiritual beauty of the Canadian wilderness.
Born in Germany, she immigrated to Ontario as a child, where the region’s shimmering lakes and sprawling forests ignited her lifelong passion for art. Her formal training at the Alberta University of the Arts under William Parker honed her craft, launching her career with a notable exhibition at Calgary’s Muttart Public Art Gallery in the 1980s.
Bärbel wields acrylic and oil to craft whimsical trees and glowing reflections that radiate peace and joy. Her distinctive style—rooted in the interplay of light, color, and form—captures the numinous essence of the landscapes that surround her. A juried member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), Ontario Society of Artists (OSA), and Federation of Canadian Artists (AFCA), she has exhibited widely across Canada, with her work gracing private and corporate collections worldwide. Notable commissions, such as her 2015 piece for the Children’s Wish Foundation, underscore her impact.
Represented by galleries across Canada, including Koyman Galleries in Ottawa and Galerie Blooom in Montreal, Bärbel’s art continues to resonate with collectors and viewers alike. Beyond her studio practice, she has shared her expertise as an art instructor for over 15 years. Now settled south of Ottawa with her husband, surrounded by her children’s families, Bärbel paints full-time, channelling the timeless wonder of the natural world into every canvas.
Artist's Statement:
My work is a soulful tribute to the divine artistry in the radiant landscapes that have shaped my being, particularly the wild beauty of Canada. My paintings are more than images—they are a dialogue between the earth and something greater, a way for my spirit to touch the immortal: Each canvas is a journey, a reunion with the natural world where I explore the interplay of light, shape, and color that defines the Canadian wilderness.
My process is intuitive, a flowing response to the rhythms of nature and the wonder it inspires. The swirling, vibrant forms of trees—alive with bold hues—capture a playful yet profound interpretation of the landscape, while the serene reflections in still waters mirror a deeper harmony. These are not just scenes but invitations into a dreamlike space where reality and imagination intertwine. Drawing from the legacy of the Group of Seven and the illuminationists, I seek to infuse my work with a numinous quality that stirs both heart and eye.
Through acrylic on gallery canvas, I use line and color to evoke joy, peace, and curiosity. A solitary red canoe by a lakeside or an island crowned with fantastical trees becomes a sanctuary—a holy space where viewers can pause, breathe, and reconnect with the Almighty’s quiet majesty. My paintings blend the familiar with the boundless, reflecting the simplicity and splendor of nature’s design. With bold palettes and fluid shapes, I hope to awaken a sense of awe, encouraging viewers to see the landscape anew—as if through the eyes of a child or a wanderer in an enchanted realm.
My art is a celebration of light and the unseen spirit that flows through the land. I am grateful to share this personal exploration, where every stroke of color dances in appreciation of the beauty around us. My hope is that each painting stirs the soul, drawing viewers into their own encounter with God’s presence—where the fleeting beauty of earth meets the boundless promise of eternity in a vibrant, holy embrace.
C.V.
Selected Juried Shows and Exhibitions:
2025 Society of Canadian Artists Open International Show; Federation of Canadian Artists Artist's Choice.2025
2024 Society of Canadian Artists Open International Show; Federation of Canadian Artist's Toronto Spring Kaleidoscope
2023 Federation of Canadian Artists: Shape and Form Show; Toronto Invitational Show; Artists Choice Show.
SCA Elected Members Show - Award of Merit
2022 Federation of Canadian Artists: Signature Success Show; Shape and Form Show; Artist's Choice Show
Society of Canadian Artists: 2022 Members Juried Show
Cline House Gallery Group Show - Vantage Points Show, Cornwall, ON
2021 Federation of Canadian Artists, Toronto Chapter show,
Ontario Society of Artists, 150th Anniversary show
2020 Society of Canadian Artists Online Juried Show
Federation of Canadian Artists Shows: Group of Seven - Vancouver; FCA Shape and Form ` Show
Elaine Fleck Gallery, Creative Minds Exhibition , Toronto, ON
2019 Federation of Canadian Artists: Active Members Exhibition, Awarded Honourable Mention
Elaine Fleck Gallery, Best of New Submissions Show, Toronto, ON
2018 Federation of Canadian Artists, Juried Shows: Artists Choice, Small and smaller show, summer showcase, Oh Canada Exhibition, Scenes of Western Canada show,
SCA online juried exhibition, Letter Perfect show
Pelham Niagara Show, Riverdale Artwalk Toronto, Artwalk in the Square Show Toronto,
2017 McMichael Autumn Art Show, McMichael Gallery, Kleinburg, ON
Pelham Niagara Show, WC Stoufville Show, Oakville Show,
2016 Riverdale Show, WC Stoufville Show, Pelham Niagara Show, Oakville Show, Queen West Art Crawl
2015 Love Art Show. Riverdale Show Toronto, Cabbage Town Show Toronto, Oakville Show,
Group of Seven Seniors show, Art Square Gallery
2014 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition TOAE –juried show
1988 - 2014 Numerous other regional community shows and national shows with the Federation of Canadian Artists
Gallery Representation
Butter Gallery, Collingwood, ON
Galerie Bloom, Montreal, QC
Koyman Galleries, Ottawa, ON
Eclipse Art Gallery, Huntsville, ON
Tutt Street Gallery, Kelowna, BC
Awards, Designations and Noteworthy Mention
2023 Society of Canadian Artists - Award of Merit
2022 Federation of Canadian Artists - (AFCA – juried signature member designation)
2020 Ontario Society of Artists - (OSA - juried member designation)
2020 Society of Canadian Artists (SCA – juried signature member designation)
2019 Active National Members Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists - Honourable Mention Award,
2015 Commissioned painting for the Children’s Wish Foundation- Prints hang in hospitals in Ontario
1988 Federation of Canadian Artists (Active member status)
Corporate Collections:
Weston Forest Products
Durham Condominium Corporation
Sick Kids Hospital
Roadwarrior Inc.
and various private and corporate collections throughout Canada and internationally.
Media Features:
Arabella Magazine, March 2024 edition. Featured Artist - Pg. 81-112
Glengarry News, Front Page Photo, September 28, 2022 Vol.131.No.39 Photo by: Steven Warburton
Josie Newman, "Light in the Landscape" The Link Arts, Entertainment, Lifestyle Magazine, Autumn 2018.
Bill Hornbostel, "Colborne Painter Having A Grand Opening in April" The Cramahe Now Community News Magazine, March 5, 2018
Spirit of the Hills, Featured Artist 2018
Nasmith, Cecelia, “Colborne Artist Expands Children’s classes” The Colborne Chronicle – Northumberland Today March 31, 2015.
Brown, Moira, interview “Family faces trouble with grace” 100 Huntley St. Interview, (2 episodes) May, 2011
Owen, Bob, “Township Art Classes”, Cramahe Now Feb 13, 2011
Nasmith, Cecelia, “Art for the Lord show supports Children’s Wish” Northumberland Today, May 16, 2008
Northumberland County Arts Guide – Premiere Edition 2008
Education/Training:
2018 Janet Read – Workshop – understanding abstraction
2017 Jon Anderson Workshop
2013 Brian Smith, figurative abstraction workshop
2012 Art in Libraries- workshop
1996 to 98 Athabasca University
1994 to 95 Briercrest Seminary
1986 to 88 Alberta University of the Arts – studied under William Parker