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Monica Van der Weer |
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Monica Van der
Weer was raised on a hobby farm near Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. She
grew up with four sisters and one brother. The family's goats, chickens,
cows, rabbits, horses and dogs were their constant companions and best
friends. Monica's family and her love of animals have always been her passion.
Monica now lives in an old farmhouse on a gravel road near Stratford, Ontario, with her husband Robert. They share their home with three "indoor" cats (Scooter, Jocomo and Quincy), two cats who live in the woodshed (Calico and Spritzer), and Othello, a black Labrador Retriever. Portraits of cats and dogs and her other farmyard companions are Monica's favourite subjects. Many of them are the pets or livestock of friends and family. Of course, she frequently features her own pets in her paintings. Monica has never met an animal that she didn't like or want to take home. She also enjoys painting old homes and rural Ontario. Working with acrylic paints on masonite board, Monica uses intense colours and includes even the smallest details in her work. She takes pride in conveying the expressions and emotions of her animal friends in each painting. Monica's paintings are a pleasure for animal lovers and a delight for the "country" home decorator. Monica is largely a self-taught artist. An important part of her art education was the time she spent as a child with her dad (the original Van der Weer animal lover) at the kitchen table drawing pictures of animals. Monica also took courses in fine art while studying for her Bachelor of Arts degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Monica maintains her studio at home in the rambling 19th century farmhouse that she shares with her husband and their pets. While pursuing her career in fine art, she enjoys working as a counsellor at a group home for the Developmentally Challenged in Kitchener, Ontario. |
