Kerri Weller

The afternoon sun filtering into the sitting room provided the perfect setup for painting “alla prima”, directly from life, at once within a set time frame. Clearly defined lights and shadows combined with a medley of colours on the subject - my husband Paul engaged in conversation. It was Christmas 2019 at Bep’s in Nova Scotia. Barbara (Bep) is my mother-in-law. Family members were catching up, welcoming time together, unaware the world would soon be downed by a pandemic. Paul’s portrait evokes memories of good times shared with family and friends.With an expressive, painterly yet realistic interpretation, I strived to capture his inquiring thoughtful intellect, good nature, and ease at being home in the Maritimes.

Subject: Paul

Paul, an “alla prima” portrait, Christmas, 2019, oil on linen/panel, 8” x 10”

A contemporary realist painter, Kerri’s work has been published in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, acquired by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and juried into international exhibitions including the prestigious Art Renewal Centre Salons. She has designed commemorative gold and silver coins for the Royal Canadian Mint, and had her paintings displayed at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Art of the Plant exhibition in 2018.

While internationally recognized as a botanical artist, Kerri’s paintings range from portraits to still life, landscapes to the plant world. The common thread is a love of painting, and the drive to visually explore subjects with accuracy and artistic expression.

A graduate of the Ontario College of Art and the University of Toronto’s medical illustration program, Kerri enjoyed a previous career as an Exhibits Graphic Designer with the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto.