Powell River artist Lee Mackenzie will be featured throughout the lobby of Vancouver Island University’s Powell River campus during November, in the ongoing series of exhibitions organized by Malaspina Art Society.
Entitled A World Of Inspiration, the show will feature 25 of Mackenzie’s latest works, including some never before exhibited. An opening reception will be held at 7 pm on Thursday, November 8 in the university’s lobby. The show will remain until December 3.
Mackenzie was born and raised on Vancouver Island. As a television journalist for more than 20 years, her career took her across Canada and overseas. Eventually, she and her husband moved to Powell River, where she worked as a reporter for the Peak, and now is an administrative employee at local RCMP detachment.
Art was something that came late into Mackenzie’s life. “About 15 years ago I suddenly had this overwhelming urge to try to paint,” she said. “I listened to that internal chatter that told me I wasn’t an artist. For a long time I didn’t even try.”
One day she bought some painting supplies in an attempt to put the urge to rest. “I put some bright yellow paint on a brush and swooped it over a piece of paper,” she explained. “A thrill ran right through me. I was hooked.”
Largely self-taught, Mackenzie describes her work as intuitive and experimental. “There isn’t one style or set of image ideas that I lean to exclusively,” she said. “There’s a world of inspiration upon which to draw.”
Experimentation and traditional approaches all find their way into Mackenzie’s work. “My goal is to give you a piece that will be interesting,” she said. “I hope it will shine some light into your room and give you a place to rest your thoughts.”
More information about Mackenzie and her work is available on her website. She can be contacted at 604.414.8797.
