Laureen Marchand is a painter from southern Saskatchewan. She is represented in several galleries, holds many awards for her work, and is celebrated locally, provincially, and nationally.

Through her work, Laureen explores the relationship of appearance to reality. In our whim-talk, she thoughtfully examines where whims arise. They are "like good ideas that float by" and Laureen knows a good one when she sees it. She says that "it has to 'feel right,'" which I agree with one hundred percent.  

Laureen refers early on to Arthur Rackham illustrations. These are the fairies that you might have seen in your children's books (and been scared nearly to death of, like me). Further, Laureen introduces another definition of "whim" for me: that of a tool for pulling ore from the ground. Watch as I process all of that, in relation to how Laureen creates.

What I'll surely carry with me from Laureen is her comments on artistic process. She says, "Nothing happens until I'm done, and I never know where I'm going for sure. When it's right, I stop. And then I do it again, until the painting is right." 

Laureen Marchand's work can be found at galleries in Val Marie, in Galway, Ireland, and in several other galleries in Saskatchewan. At laureenmarchand.com, you can see her paintings and  mentoring and other services for artists.