Lillian Burke
As a child, creativity was encouraged in our home and there were always art supplies available.
However, marriage, family and work replaced my interest in art for many
years. When I retired from the mental health field in 2014, I decided I wanted to explore my creative side again, and began my journey by enrolling in watercolour classes given
by artists in this area. In 2019, we moved to Sault Ste Marie. I attended watercolour and
acrylic painting classes and workshops to continue to develop my interest and skills, and
to meet others who shared my interests. While we lived in the Soo, we spent time in
summer on St. Joseph’s Island, which gave me the opportunity to photograph and paint
subjects that reflected the beauty of that region. I belonged to the Algoma Art Society, the
Art Gallery of Algoma, and enjoyed attending the Open Painting group at the Active Living
Centre there. Since returning to Chatham-Kent (Ridgetown) last September (2025), I have
revisited the wonderful and unique ecosystems in this area, and which offer vast creative
possibilities. I have also enjoyed painting each week with a group of artists out of the
Mary Webb Centre in Highgate. I enjoy painting in and about nature. While I paint many
landscapes, my preference is for single subjects against the landscape which tell a story. I in both watercolour and acrylic, and recently have begun to paint experiment in new medium and styles.
