About Decorative Painter Ann Lalonde

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Ann Lalonde's Biography

In the early years there was coloring... oh maybe
that's a little too early!

Okay Let's begin again.

While studying prospective drawing as a teenager Ann became inspired by art and was
encouraged by a local artist to pursue her studies. In 1965 she took her first oil painting class and
has continued to pursue her passion for art ever since. Ann began spending countless hours
studying books of the masters works and completed 4 years of Landscape and Anatomy studies
through Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology, Sault Ste Marie,Ontario. It was at this time
that she met her mentor Zoltan Szabo. He advised her to begin painting full time to develop her
own unique style and continued to aid in her development by critiquing her work weekly.

By 1969 she was teaching landscape & still life painting in oils for the Central Algoma Board of
Education. She also involved herself with the expansion of their arts program. As a result within
a short time 3 more oil painting classes were being conducted under her instruction. As well as
Algoma she held and conducted classes at Sault College and Canadore College in North Bay,
Ontario. Canadore was also interested in expanding their art curriculum and again she was able
to offer her abilities in this area and eventually taught in the surrounding communities.

Art Exhibit 1970

Continuing to develop her own style her preferred medium now became pastels, as she was
losing patience waiting for her oils to dry! Her focus now turned to character studies, portraiture
and the study of anatomy. By this point Ann has accumulated an elaborate library of art books
which is still being expanded upon today. In addition to her teaching she then started to do
commission work painting portraits in oils or pastels and her artwork was being displayed in
various art galleries throughout Ontario.

In 1975 she became inspired by tole and decorative painting and of course another style and
medium are chosen once again and the teaching soon followed. However at this point I should
also point out that the portrait pastels were also occasionally being created. She then helped to
put together the Bluenose Tolers chapter in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Over the next several years
she was found teaching art occasionally at Folk Art Stores in Halifax, Nova Scotia and years later
in Victoria, British Columbia in 1983.

Ann has been a member of NSTDP (National Society of Tole and Decorative Painters) since
1981 and is the Northern Ontario Representative for C-DAN (Canadian Decorative Artist
Network). Ann encourages all of you to become involved in the Decorative Art Scene!

After 30 years of studying and teaching art throughout Canada, she decided the time had come to
open her own store where year round classes are offered. Although operating a store is very
demanding, Ann still finds the time to travel teach and is now developing her own designs which
she hopes will inspire others. Ann's designs vary in the mediums used. She enjoys pen & ink with
oil rouging as well as working with acrylics and oils.

In 1998 she was invited to teach at the Kaswood Convention held in Toronto, Ontario and was
pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and appreciation displayed by her students. Kaswood's
Convention 1999 proved to be even more exciting with the introduction of her own designs
displayed for the first time, in her own booth. Once again she was overwhelmed by the positive
response from her students.

Although art remains a dominating factor in Ann's life, this
mother of 4 and grandmother of 3 also enjoys photography,
reading, writing, traveling, cooking and of course special time
with her family. She certainly manages her time very effectively
and hopes to meet as many of you as possible in the near future!

We hope you will take the time to visit Ann's Art Gallery, to view some of the magnificent
art done over the years using various mediums.

Ann's Art Gallery
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