Hi, I’m Vanessa Furtado Bles
Welcome to my little world of color and soul

I’m a full-time artist based on a quiet farm in Norfolk County, Ontario. My work is deeply inspired by life, travel, and the emotions we don’t always have words for. Before I took the leap into full-time art and photography, I spent years as a flight attendant, exploring different corners of the world. That experience shaped me in so many ways and continues to influence the way I see light, texture, and movement. Travel is still such a big part of who I am, and it often finds its way into my paintings without me even realizing it.

My painting style is light-hearted, soulful, and a little messy in the best way. I love the freedom that painting gives me. It’s where I can let go, tune in, and create without rules. Most of my inspiration comes from moments I’ve lived, places I’ve been, and photographs I’ve taken along the way.

I mainly paint with acrylics, sometimes mixing in other media when it feels right. I’m drawn to large stretched canvases and wood panels because I love the way they command a space and carry energy. My studio is filled with sunlight, music, and the quiet rhythm of life on the farm. It’s my happy place, and where the real magic happens.

Each piece I create holds a little piece of my heart. I tend to paint when I’m grounded and peaceful, and I believe that energy carries into the art itself. My goal is always to make something honest. Something that brings warmth, softness, and a little spark into the spaces it lives in.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My work is light hearted soulful and warm. Painting is where I allow myself to get messy loose and free. It is one of the few spaces where there are no rules only intuition. I trust the process even when it feels imperfect because that is where the magic lives.

My art comes from the core of my heart and from the seasons of my life. I can only create when I feel grounded and at peace and I believe that energy carries forward into the spaces my work lives in. That is what I admire most about painting. It holds emotion memory and presence. I cannot create work my soul does not connect to. What you see is always honest.
Painting has always been my language when words fall short. As a photographer I often use my own imagery as reference pulling from moments I have lived and felt deeply. I work with mixed media primarily acrylic paint on stretched canvas and wood panels. I am drawn to large scale pieces because I love how bold work can ground a room and invite feeling into a space.
I am self taught and my style continues to unfold with each painting.

Every piece teaches me something new. My work reflects my memories my travels and the chapters of my life that have shaped the woman I am today. It is a visual journal of growth healing and becoming.
Travel is a constant source of inspiration for me. I am deeply drawn to culture and the quiet beauty of everyday life in different parts of the world. I love feeling like a local wherever I go living simply observing deeply and staying rooted in truth. These experiences naturally find their way into my work through color texture and emotion.

I also paint the female form as part of my own journey of self love. I am proud of my femininity and I hope my work helps other women feel the same. There is something powerful about seeing yourself reflected with softness strength and honesty. Supporting female empowerment through art feels like a gift and one I hold close to my heart.

My dream is to one day have a gallery and studio space in a small stone home in the country. I imagine it cozy and lived in with paint on the walls and floors from years of creating. I want to show the real process because I have learned to find beauty in the mess. I see a small café attached where visitors can enjoy an espresso or tea with homemade goods while surrounded by my work. I want my creative spaces to always feel like home warm welcoming and full of soul.