JOEL MARA

I spent most of my childhood years in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. I learned an appreciation for nature while exploring the pebbled beaches and tidal pools with my siblings. I liked to be still in nature, to just watch nature happen. That fascination has carried through to my adult years. 
My main inspiration is the beauty of the West Coast. It seemed a natural progression to express these feelings on canvas. I want other people to see and experience with me through my paintings. My aim is to create a feeling of "being there". 
After attending the Capilano Illustration & Design program, I began painting more and more landscapes and finding this to be a satisfying experience. Some of the first places I chose for painting were Crescent Beach and White Rock. Later I began painting places in North Vancouver such as Lighthouse Park and Whitecliff Park. 
The shapes I paint merely suggest a picture. It is up to the viewer to put this all together and form the image. I strive to make my paintings a participatory experience. Every viewer will see something different. My hope is that you will feel a little bit of that gusty wind or the silence of the forest when you view one of my works.