Nadine Belliveau is a visual artist from the Baie Sainte-Marie, Digby County, Nova Scotia where she has been creating professionally since 1971. A graduate of NSCAD, Université de Moncton & Université Sainte-Anne, her contribution to the arts has been as an artist, as an educator at the community, school and university levels, as a founder of two galleries, as member of art associations, as past treasurer of ARCAC, as past chair of the Association acadienne des artistes de la Nouvelle-Écosse and as past representative of the south west regional members of VANS. She is an active member of the Annapolis Artist’s Way Collective. She is a current member of the ARCAC Main Gallery Selection Committee. Her paintings explore the essence of nature by means of abstraction and decorative expression and unveil the mysterious, immersive qualities of nature presenting their inviting and warm environments through textural, layered and large-format acrylic on canvas. She recently participated in the juried Festival of International Montreal Art (FIMA). Her work can be seen on her web site or by appointment at her Belliveau Cove studio.

I am inspired by images of nature and light. I reduce my photos in color and in form through computer processes to which I apply my personal palette of 4 or five colours. I am currently exploring creating images for large-format silkscreen. I was fortunate to have recently visited with Master Printer Robert Blanton of Brand X Editions of New York.

explore any creative blocks

My work is decorative and seeks to inspire the viewer through use of color and form. I am influenced mostly by the interaction with other artists. I am a member of The Annapolis Artist Way Collective . We plan a group show each year, and in the planning we explore any creative blocks that we as individual artists may experience and work through them. Also we collectively plan the yearly show as a group which can be very difficult given the individualistic nature of artists. Our next show will be shown in the Chapel Gallery of ARTsPLACE in the Spring of 2016.

continually reinforce the personal reasons behind wanting to create

Being an artist in rural Nova Scotia is a very difficult job. One has to continually reinforce the personal reasons behind wanting to create. One has to show up every day for creating and do what is needed all the while respecting where we are as artists, and trying to achieve what we need to so as to continue being able to create every day. Money is always a challenge. Isolation can also be a challenge. It is always so important to be linked to others that are interested in your work. Having just come back from a cultural trip to New York, I feel that I am really out of touch with the artistic movement but every problem has a solution and I have been fortunate in finding ways to combat the lack of money and the isolation. I have a good work ethic and I show up for work in my studio every weekday. I maintain a good social life so as to stay healthy. I exercise my creative brain as much as possible by interacting with other like-minded artists.

encourages excellence for artists of all levels

I enjoyed working with VANS. I joined to have access to a network of artists and also to have my work seen by a wider audience. Through my being a past board member, I was honored to have met many artists from Nova Scotia. VANS provides the edgiest art of our region and so encourages excellence for artists of all levels.

Festival International Montreal en Art

I have recently completed 35 new works for the juried Festival International Montreal en Art (FIMA) of July 2015. Currently, I am preparing for the creation of 10 new works, measuring 48 inches by 48 inches based on my past processes of color and form reduction and introducing a figurative element. I plan to explore the possibility of printing limited editions using the silkscreen process. This series should be completed in the Spring of 2016. I am applying to galleries for showing.