Nina Kroeker - Grounded

Oil on canvas, framed in white oak, 24" x 36"

Artist Statement

This collection began with many walks through my local community forest. I started being drawn to study the individual trees of the forest more closely. As I started painting them, I began to notice more and more. I began to notice how moss clings to the big leaf maples in huge chunks, and how the bark of a Douglas fir is so much more rugged and pock-marked than the smooth lines of cedar bark. I found that each tree needed a slightly different handling; from expressive and thick brushstrokes for thick bark and moss, to smooth flowing lines that portray the interconnectedness of nature. I use bright colours to portray the way that I feel in nature; vibrant and alive.

In many of these paintings I focus on one tree, but you will notice it is never alone. Many of them grow from the remains of the ones who came before them. Roots intertwine both above and below ground. In the chaos and disconnection of the current world, I think we can learn from these relationships. I want to portray the individual as well as the community that supports it. My hope is that interacting with these pieces will foster a sense of camaraderie with a fellow living thing that is not so dissimilar to yourself. What you love is what you will care to protect.

About the Artist

My life’s journey so far has been about searching for meaning and finding it in the world around me.

Battling depression throughout my youth left me with a hopeless view of life that kept me from pursuing my true passions for many years. Painting has become a way for me to combat my own mind in a way; to show myself that beauty is present and life is worth it.

Nature has always been my first inspiration, and the constant in my life that has kept me hopeful and calmed my soul. From my upbringing on the Canadian prairies, to small town Alberta, to the West Coast that I now call my home, there have always been elements of beauty that have comforted me. This connection is what inspired my first paintings, and still inspires me now.

As I go through life, certain places become representations of things I’ve gone through, and certain chapters of my life. A scene from a hike in the mountains becomes a representation of my struggle to build confidence, and a beach scene becomes a symbol of a need for a season of calm and rest. My paintings have become landmarks of my human experience.

My hope is that you’ll find connection through my artwork to your own life experiences as well, and that through that connection you will feel less alone.

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Nina Kroeker - Grounded