Artist Statement

Driving my work is the underlying desire to express ideologies of freedom through conscious creation. I work to portray the processes that can occur when seeking higher consciousness in relation to the human condition. While we are often the creators of our limitations, I use my work to explore how we liberate ourselves from those limitations to achieve a greater personal awakening that is essential to our freedom.

It is my belief that both acknowledging and understanding our own psyche allows us to transcend the human condition and heal ourselves. My intent is to create a lasting impact that induces free thought and dialogue. In pursuit of this aim, I choose to create psychologically spiritual narratives that are meant to produce visceral, emotional reactions in the viewer. These responses can thereby provide an opportunity for self-reflection and empathy, which could lead to compassion and healing.

I’ve incorporated this credo in my latest body of work, which is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Oval Portrait”, a short horror story about how beauty is simultaneously the creator and the destroyer of life. Painted on oval-shaped surfaces of canvas, paper, and wood, these compositions portray ideologies of beauty, consciousness, and identity in relation to the human condition.

"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living."

Anais Nin

Artist Biography

Gaetanne Lavoie is a professional artist based in eastern Ontario. Holding two MFA degrees from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California (earned 2008) and the New York Academy of Art (earned 2013), respectively, Lavoie has since garnered notable accolades for her painting, including her 2015 wins both of an award of merit from the American Women Artist’s Spring Juried Show and of first place in Montreal’s Global Art League competition. Lavoie has also enjoyed the feature of her work in various publications, including among the pages of SLICE Magazine (2017), Voyage MIA Magazine (2018), and Spotlight Magazine (2020).

Lavoie has also developed her talents as both curator and educator. Beyond her curatorial work with such prestigious venues such as the Tett Gallery in Kingston, Ontario, and the New York Academy of Art, Lavoie has led classes at various institutions, including St. Lawrence College and the Kingston School of Art. Her teaching has driven her artistic practice in recent years, as she works to facilitate in her students the same spirit of boundless creativity that she aims to express in her own work.

EDUCATION

2013 MFA, New York Academy of Art

2008 MFA, Academy of Art University

2002 BFAH, York University

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020 UNIT 115, Kingston Arts Council, Kingston, ON

2019 Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, Brockville, ON

2009 The Emporium Gallery, Montreal, QC

2007 Gaetanne Lavoie’s Shoes, Gallery Café, San Francisco, CA

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 Modern Eden Gallery, Beyond Original, 11th annual portrait exhibition, San Francisco, CA

2020 Federation of Canadian Artists Annual International Representational Exhibition, Vancouver, BC

Cline House, Homecoming Queens, Cornwall, ON

2019 Small Works Kingston, Tett Centre Gallery, Kingston, ON

2018 Nexus Silent Art Auction, Bread&Salt Gallery, San Diego, CA

TimeraiserX, Cailuan Gallery, Cornwall, ON

Cailuan Gallery, Cornwall, ON

Stricoff Fine Art, New York, NY

2017 Stricoff Fine Art, New York, NY

Bhumi Farm, East Hampton, NY

Gallery 222, Hurleyville, New York

Six Summit Gallery, New York Fashion Week, New York, NY

Save Art Space, Los Angeles, CA

2016 Stricoff Fine Art, New York, NY

The Art Box Project, Basel, Miami, FL

The Perry Street Art Salon, New York, NY

Alice Cafe, Leon, Mexico

Rosso Film International, New York, NY

Evergreene Architectural Arts, Studio Painter, New York, NY

Stricoff Gallery, New York, NY, on rotation in group exhibits

2015 Stricoff Fine Art, New York, NY, November 5th, two person show

Baby Grand, Halloween Horror, New York, NY

Global Art Legue Montreal Art Center, Le Canal Gallery, Montreal, QC

2014 Principle Gallery, "Urban Aspects" Alexandria, VA

Stricoff Gallery, New York, NY

Hersh Fine Art, "Love & Observed", Glen Cove, NY

Agence Apollo, Montreal, QC

2013 Me and You, New York, NY

Canadian Consulate, Spirits Council, New York, NY

RH Gallery, "Single Fair 3", York, NY

Agence Apollo, Montreal, QC

2012 Kraine Gallery, "Things That Go Bump in the Night", New York, NY

New York Academy of Art,"Open Studios", New York, NY

New York Academy of Art,"Tribeca Ball", New York, NY

Agence Apollo, Montreal, QC

2011 New York Academy of Art, "Deck the Walls", New York, NY

The SPOT, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI

Mondiale Salotti, Montreal, QC

Agence Apollo, "Decover Magazine, Pin Up Edition launch", Montreal, QC

2010 Galerie du Cartier, Montreal, QC

LaFontsee, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids, MI

FIMA Festival International Montreal en Arts, Montreal, QC

OFF interarts, "Homage a la Ville", Montreal, QC

2009 APW Gallery, "Small Works", New York, NY

APW Gallery, "Something Different", New York, NY

Gallerie Synesthesie, Montreal, QC

2008 79 Gallery, "Contemporary Portraits", San Francisco, CA

2007 Brannan Gallery, "The Big Bang Show", San Francisco, CA

Academy of Art University, "Spring Show", San Francisco, CA

Space Gallery, "More Zombies II", San Francisco, CA

Methinks Presents "La Moustache", Montreal, Toronto & Brooklyn, NY

CURATORIAL

2019 Small Works Kingston, Tett Centre Gallery, Kingston, ON

First Thrusday’s, Tett Centre Creativity Studios, Kingston, ON

2017 Finding Wonderland, Bhumi Farms, East Hampton, NY

Wild and Balanced, Gallery 222, Hurleyville, NY

2015 Horror @ Baby Grand, Baby Grand, New York, NY

2013 Mountain of Mini's, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY

VOLUNTEER

2019 Small Works Kingston, Tett Centre Gallery, Kingston, ON

First Thursday’s, Tett Centre Creativity Studios, Kingston, ON

Kingston School of Art Juried Exhibition Committee

Crossfit Queen Street Motionball Fundraiser for the Special Olympics

2016 Chelsea Film Festival

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2020 Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Spotlight Magazine, Lyon, FR

2019 Circle Foundation for the Arts, Circle Quarterly Art Review, Winter 2019, Lyon, FR

2018 Voyage MIA Magazine, August, Miami, FL

Circle Foundation for the Arts, Circle Quarterly Art Review, Winter 2018, Lyon FR

2016 Exhibeo Art Magazine, Tragedy Tension and the Sublime by J.E. Raddatz

Linus Gallery, Quiet, Los Angeles, CA

2015 Arte Fuse, Through a Glass Darkly: The Paintings of Carol O'Malia and Gaetanne Lavoie by Kim Power

Hi-Fructose, Subjects Yearn for Freedom and Fantasy, by Caro

2014 Linus Galleries, Artist Interview Series, Los Angeles, CA

International Contemporary Artists, vol VIII, ICA Publishing

Hidden Treasure Art Magazine Yearbook

2012 American Artist magazine, September edition

New York Academy of Art, Impression, Soleil Levant, by New York Academy of Art, Aug 30

2011 Sofadeco magazine publication, Volume 1/N* 2

Bluecanvas magazine publication, April edition

Decover magazine publication, February edition

2010 Smells Like Turpentine: Today was Rough…, by Justin Nordine, Jan 10

The White Petal: Sweet Treats and Color Inspiration, by Vanessa, Feb 4

Aubrey and Lindsay’s Little House Blog: Canadian Artists, by Lindsay, Feb 7

2009 Women Painting Women, by Alia El-Bermani, Sept. 5

Montreal State of Mind: Montreal’s Gaetanne Lavoie: Moments in Time Solo Exhibition,

by Ben Pobjoy, May 6

2007 Desperately Seeking Style: Gaetanne Lavoie, by t Sept. 30

AWARDS

2016 Finalist in AWA's 2016 Spring Online Juried Show, NY

2015 AWA American Women Artists, Award of Merit, Spring Online Juried Show

1st Place Best in Show, Global Art League 2015 International Art Competition Montreal, QC

2nd Place, The Art of Power Competition, Exhibeo Art Magazine

2014 Honorable mention, Art Kudos Competition

Finalist, 31st Artist's Magazine's Anuual Art Competition

2013 Honorable mention, Art Kudos Competition

2012 Residency at the Terra Foundation for American Art, Giverny, FR

Honorable mention, artavita 2nd painting competition

2012 Honorable mention, Art Kudos Competition

2009 Honorable mention, Art Kudos Competition

2007 Honorable mention, Art Kudos Competition

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2023 Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, NB

2019 Kingston School of Art, Kingston, ON

Agnes Etherington Art Center, Kingston, ON

Tett Center for Creativity and Learning, Kingston, On

St Lawrence College, Kingston/Brockville, ON

2018 Kingston School of Art, Kingston, ON

2012 TA for Continuing Education, New York Academy of Art

2011 Painting Instructor, Visual Art Center, Montreal, QC

2010 Private Painting and Drawing Instructor, Montreal, QC

2009 Painting Instructor, Gallerie Synesthesie, Montreal, QC

Private Painting and Drawing Instructor, Montreal, QC

COLLECTIONS

Stricoff Gallery, New York, NY

Brookly Art Library, Brooklyn, NY

Lafontsee Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI

Byrnebohem Gallery, Palm Springs, CA

L’Agence Apollo, Montreal, QC

Numerous private collections