About

BIO

Alexandra McLaughlin is a self-taught Canadian painter, fortunate enough to have grown up on beautiful Georgian Bay. Following her studies, backpacking abroad and an invaluable first career as a paramedic, she moved back to the Bay with her family where she pursues her art full time. Working from her home studio in Midland, Ontario (or out on the islands) allows Alex to maximize precious painting time and be the present mother she has always wanted to be. Alex’s work can be found in private collections internationally and continues to gain recognition in her local community. She was a finalist for the BMFA’s prestigious Clerkson award in 2019, her work was recently selected as part of the Society of Canadian Artists’ 2024 International Juried Show, and she is thrilled to be exhibiting with the Artist Project in Toronto this May.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My current artwork is reflective of my lifelong connection to Georgian Bay. It is a study of nostalgia, guided by introspection. By painting the water and landscape that surrounded me throughout my childhood, it feels like coming home, over and over again. I have always been fascinated by the patterns, textures and interactions happening in nature and felt very much a part of it, not just witness to it. I wish to draw the viewer of my work into the exact same place, and hopefully foster even greater appreciation and respect for the natural world.

Sitting on a dock, staring at the mesmerizing water has always been my favourite place to think, feel and dream. Painting the ever changing light on the water’s surface has not only become a meditative practice, but offers endless opportunities for me to play with perspective and composition. You will often find me taking hundreds of photos during a single sunset or creating quick, small scale watercolour studies while out exploring Georgian Bay islands. I then make larger scale acrylic paintings from these impressions, sometimes up to years later. My process relies heavily on prioritizing a healthy mind and body. The more I can be awake to my surroundings with all of my senses and make space for contemplation, the easier I find it to tap into what feels timely for me and bring something heartfelt to the canvas.

RECONNECT SERIES STATEMENT

The Reconnect series began with a spectacular sunset on August 3rd, 2023—one of those golden-hour moments after a storm on Georgian Bay that requires a run down to the dock. I’ve always been drawn to the energy of storms and the stillness that follows. There’s a rush of adrenaline, but more than that, a deep sense of presence. That evening, everything seemed to align—nature, memory, and emotion.

I had been moving through burnout and adjusting to a new chapter on a property with deep family roots. We had recently sold our family cottage and begun rebuilding my grandfather’s old place down the bay. He had passed away not long before, and we were learning to see this land through new eyes—his and our own. That sunset felt like a moment of clarity and connection, and without realizing it, I captured its unfolding drama on my phone. Later, those images became the foundation of this series.

The softer palette, the shifting skies, and the mirrored water all found their way into these paintings—and into Reconnect, the first piece in the series. It marked a turning point not just in my art, but in my sense of grounding and gratitude.

Out of this work grew a sub-series: The Ripple Effect Project. Inspired by the ripples made by fish feeding at dusk that same evening, what began as a simple painting exercise evolved into something deeply meaningful. My grandfather—my Opa—nurtured this ecosystem for years, feeding the fish with remnants from his daily catch. Now, the thriving life in the bay feels like a living memory of him. With each ripple I paint, I’m honouring his legacy and capturing the quiet, lasting impact of his care—a visual echo that will continue for generations.

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