Alberta based artist, Stacey MacMillan is a representational painter with an art focused on animals. Growing up she was surrounded by art and craft by her parents. Her art training began in 1995, studying abstract and figurative sculpture at the University of Alberta. There she found a great art community and took part in art exhibitions throughout Edmonton, Alberta. After stepping away from her practice for several years to raise her children, she returned to the studio with a renewed creative vision focusing on painting, and more specifically, on capturing the charm and personality of animals through a playful and expressive lens.

Working primarily in oil and acrylics, Stacey’s work is characterized by its vibrant colour palettes, imaginative compositions, and a distinctly lighthearted tone. Her goal is to create artwork that brings joy, curiosity, and makes people smile.

Her creative influences include all things outside including architecture, design, nostalgic cartoons. Each painting is both a visual escape and an invitation to view animals and life with a sense of wonder.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I am a visual artist working in acrylic and oil mainly on wood panels. My current focus is on animal subjects, which I depict in a representational yet imaginative way. I’m especially drawn to their expressions and body language, and I aim to capture a sense of character and narrative in each piece. The images range from how you and your eye recognize the animal in every day life. We don’t know what they think, we can’t speak to them, they can’t speak to us-we just see them and may interact if they are our pets. As well as images that play creatively on how I may see them within an imaginative way doing things we humans do.
My influences are wide-ranging and include nature, architecture, design, and elements of vintage visual culture such as old cartoons. And I love to travel to see new things or old things with a brand new sky. All these things spark my imagination and build creativity. Children’s books and television cartoons where animals are driving cars and talking is where my theme plays out adding a fun to the exhibit.

When it comes to my artwork, I typically begin with a set concept or theme but I try allow the process to guide the direction of the work. So the original idea may lead to something even more exciting. Surface and texture are important elements in my work, which is why I prefer working with wood panels.

Ultimately, my goal is to create artwork that resonates with viewers by evoking a story, or simply offering a smile.