Louise Solecki Weir

Louise Solecki Weir

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louise.s.weir_artworks

Gallery Representation:

Galleri Ramfjord, Schwensengate 1, 0170 Oslo, Norway

D. Anthony Gallery 416 3rd Street Wausau, WI 54403

Federation of Canadian Artists, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 4B7, Signature Member, Standards Committee.

To contact Louise, please email her at louise.s.weir@gmail.com

Artist Statement:

Clay, with its sensuality and earthy transmutability, its capacity for spontaneity and formal exactitude, is the medium that inspires me. Whether I am capturing another’s gaze in a portrait or communicating a thought or feeling through a figure, I try to express myself from the heart.

I have taken a particular interest in art therapy, portraiture and forensic reconstruction. These paths weave their way in differing patterns through my work. How history expresses itself through our ancestors, making a current portrait seem timeless, or a feeling in the moment seem true.

Biography

Louise first trained in Fine Arts at Vancouver Community College, before studying in Italy with the University of Georgia, and receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto. She obtained her accreditation as an art therapist from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. She has traveled to England, Italy and the United States to take classes in sculpture and has studied forensic reconstruction under Karen T. Taylor.

Currently, Louise works on her own artistic practice and commissioned pieces. Her bronze portrait bust and statue of Pope John Paul II can be seen at the John Paul II Papal Centre in Vancouver. Her work can be found in private collections in Canada, the U.S., England, and Australia. 

Louise has taught clay sculpting to all ages, both expressive and classical styles. Currently, she teaches workshops from her studio and as a guest artist in classrooms and community centers. In the Sculptors’ Society of BC she has held the titles of secretary, treasurer and vice president over the years.

 She has been awarded signature status by the Portrait Society of America and the Federation of Canadian Artists and she juries regularly for the Federation of Canadian Artists and is also on the board of the standards committee.

Commissions on Public View

Statue of  Saint John Paul II and Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Cathedral of our Lady of the Holy Rosary,  Vancouver,  646 Richards Street, Vancouver, Unveiling to be announced! 
Bronze Bust of St. John Paul II, 4885 St. John Paul II Way, Vancouver
Bronze Statue of St. John Paul II, 4885 St. John Paul II Way, Vancouver
Chief Justice Allan McEachern, Law Courts, Vancouver, Unveiling June 22nd, 2017

Awards

2025 First place sculpture, "AIRE" Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver BC
2024 First Place Sculpture, International Portrait Competition,  Atlanta Georgia
2024 Commended, Morris Singer, FACE Exhibition, Garrison Chapel London,
2024 Commended, Sedlecka Award Committee, FACE Exhibition, Garrison Chapel London, 
2024 First Place Sculpture, Artists' Choice Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists
2023 Gold Medal/Charlotte Geffken Prize,  National Sculpture Society 90th Awards Exhibition. 2023  First Prize Sculpture, Federation Showcase
2022 Outstanding Achievement Award Sculpture, Breaking Through: The Rise of American Women Artists, American Women Artist Association
2022 Outstanding Achievement Award Sculpture. American Women Artists Online Juried Show
2021 First Place Sculpture, Shape and Form, Federation of Canadian Artists
2021 Award of Merit, Lifting the Sky: Elevating the the Works of American Women Artists
2021 2nd Place, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art International Biennale Portrait competition, Wausau, WI
2021, First place sculpture, "On the Edge" Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver BC
2021 First Place Sculpture, "Water" Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, Canada
2020 First Honors Award, Portrait Society of America, International Juried Competition
2020 First Place Sculpture, "Bella" Federation of Canadian Artists
2019 15th Finalist, non- commissioned category,  Members Only Competition, Portrait Society of America
2018 14th Finalist, Commissioned Portrait Category,  Portrait Society Society of America, Members Only Competition for "Abigail"
2018 Select 50 Society of America International Juried competition, 
2018 2nd Place Sculpture Award, Shape and Form Exhibition, Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, BC
2018 14th Finalist Portrait Society Members Only Competition, 
2015 Certificate of Merit Miracle of the Portrait, Canadian Portrait Competition, 

Solo and Small Group Exhibitions

2025 I'm Roofless Not Homeless,  with Suzanne Storer,  George S and Delores  Dore Eccles Art Gallery, Salt Lake Community College, Utah, USA
2025 I'm Roofless Not Homeless,  through NCECA with Suzanne Storer, Visual Arts Centre, Ogden Utah, USA
2024 I'm Roofless Not Homeless,  with Suzanne Storer, Eccles Art Centre, Ogden Utah, 
2017 The Persistence of Doubt,  Tom Thompson Gallery, Owen Sound, with Michael Markowsky
2011 , "Portraits of Recovery" Byng Art Gallery, Vancouver BC, Canada
2010 “Portraits of Recovery”, Place Des Arts, Port Coquitlam, BC
2007 Jericho Arts Centre, Vancouver BC, Canada
2006 Jericho Arts Centre, Vancouver BC, Canada
1984 Winters Gallery, York University, Toronto Ontario, Canada

Group Exhibitions

2025
MEDUSA Il Museo, Italian Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC,  August 4- October 15, 
Annual Representational Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists, Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC. March 28-April 15, 2025 
I'm Roofless Not Homeless,  through NCECA with Suzanne Storer, Visual Arts Centre, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

2024
FIRE: A Celebration of Destruction and Creation, Il Museo, Italian Cultural Centre, Vancouver, BC, September 19, December 24th, 2024
Finalists Exhibition, International Portrait Competition, Grand Hyatt, Atlanta, Georgia
FACE 2024, Society of Portrait Sculptors, The Garrison Chapel, 8 Garrison Sq., Chelsea Barrack, London, Uk
Artists Choice Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists,  1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC

2023
Group Show Galleri Ramfjord, Schwensensgate 1, Oslo, Norway  Sept 2-17th
National Sculpture Society 90th Annual Awards Exhibition:   Aug. 5-Oct.  22  Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
Anniversary Exhibition, Galleri Ramfjord, Schwensensgate 1, Oslo, Norway  Aug. 19-27th
What Moves You, Parker Art Salon and the  Pendulum Gallery,   HSBC Building,  885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver BCMay 15 – June 16, 2023
2023 Sculpture Showcase & Signature Invitational,  Federation of Canadian Artists, Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC. May 22 - June 11,  
Pushing Forward Reaching Back, American Women Artists, Brookgreen Gardens, May 13-July 23, 2023, Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
Online Federation Showcase,   Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC, Mar 1st-31st 2023,

2022
Small Works Exhibition, Collins Galleries,  12 West Road, Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts     Nov. 26-Dec. 9,
Eastside Culture Crawl, 2022. Open studios, 1000 Parker Street, Van BC, Nov.14-17
"Illuminations" Il Museo, Italian Cultural Centre Vancouver, August 18th to September 21
American women Artists  Online Juried Exhibition, May -Dec. 2022
Breaking Through, the Rise of American Women Artists, March 5-May 29, Customs House Museum, 200 S 2nd St, Clarksville Tennessee, USA
Goddess, ACT Gallery 11944 Haney Pl, Maple Ridge, BC, Feb. 26-April 9
Shape and Form, Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC Feb 22-March 6

2021
Lifting the Sky: Elevating the Works of American Women Artists online Juried Show, May 20-Aug. 21,
On the Edge, Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC July 12-Aug 1.
Spring Online Juried Show, American Women Artists, Spring, 2021
"Water" Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC, Feb. 20 -March 31
The Poetry Project, Gallery George, 990 George Street, Vancouver, BC Jan 7-31

2020
Bella! Federation Gallery, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver BC, Nov. 16-20
Eastside Culture Crawl, Gallery George, 990 George Street, Vancouver BC, Nov 14-30

2019
Malleable: Changing Notions of Women, Oct. 18-Dec. 10, 2019 Italian Cultural Centre, 3075 Slocan St. Vancouver, BC
Eastside Culture Crawl, Nov. 14 – 17, 1000 Parker St. Vancouver, BC
Shape and Form, Federation Gallery, Oct. 22-Nov 3, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Salon, Federation Gallery, July 15 – Aug 23, 1241 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, BC
Parker Art Salon, May 24th to 26th, 1000 Parker St., Vancouver BC

2018
Parker Art Salon,  1000 Parker St. Vancouver, BC, May 25th to 27th
Revision, Granville Island, August 30th – Nov. 30th
Shape and Form, Federation Gallery, Granville Island, Oct. 30 – Nov. 11
Eastside Culture Crawl, Nov. 15th to 18th, 1000 Parker Street, Vancouver, BC

2017
Parker Art Salon, May 5-7
Cityscape Gallery with SSBC, April 28-June 3
New Forms Matter, Cityscape Gallery, North Vancouver, Apr 24 to June 5th
The Persistence of Doubt, January 15th to May 14th, Tom Thompson Gallery, Owen Sound, with Michael Markowsky

2016
Leigh Square, July August, Sculptors Society of BC Exhibition, July 14 to Aug. 1
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver BC, Canada, July 29th to Aug 1st
Eastside Culture Crawl, 1000 Parker, Nov. 17th – 20th
Wood, Clay, Stone and Beyond, Sculpture Northwest Gallery, Bellingham, USA. Oct 7- Dec. 17th

2015
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver BC, Canada
SWARM 16, ACME Studios, 112 East Hastings, Vancouver, BC, Canada
East Side Culture Crawl, 112 East Hastings, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Avenue Gallery, Victoria, BC.

2014
6th Annual H’Arts for the Homeless, The Imperial, Vancouver, BC, Canada
SWARM 15, ACME Studios, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver BC, Canada
Artists in our Midst Studio Tour and Roundhouse Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada

2013
“Small Works”, Petley Jones Gallery,
“Tribute to David Marshall Exhibition”, Big Rock Sculpture Garden, Seattle, U.S.A.
Sculpture in Van Dusen Gardens, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Group Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada
Artists in our Midst Studio Tour and Roundhouse Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada
Bloedel Conservatory, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver BC, Canada

2012
Petley Jones Gallery with the MPA, Vancouver BC, Canada
“ArtSpacific” Juried Exhibition, Delta, BC, Canada
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver B, Canada
Byng Arts Community Show, Vancouver BC, Canada

2011
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Group Exhibition, Vancouver B, Canada
Flowers for Food, Roundhouse Community Centre, Vancouver BC, Canada
Byng Arts Community Show, Vancouver BC, Canada
Artists in our Midst, Studio Tour and Roundhouse Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada
“For the Love of Art”, Scotia Bank, Vancouver BC, Canada
Autumn Brook Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada

2010
“Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition” Place des Arts, Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
Perspectives on Identity, International Village, Vancouver BC, Canada
Autumn Brook Gallery, Vancouver BC, Canada
Byng Arts Community Show, Vancouver BC, Canada
Sheraton Landmark Wall Centre, Feature Gala Artist
Gallery Gachet, Vancouver BC Canada.

2009
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver B.C.
“Winter White” Laura Jewitt Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Byng Arts Community Show, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Artists in our Midst Studio Tour and Roundhouse Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada
Autumn Brook Gallery, Vancouver, BC, Canada

2008
Sculpture in VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver B.C.
Byng Arts Community Show, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Van Ypren Jewellers, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Artists in our Midst Studio Tour and Roundhouse Exhibition, Vancouver BC, Canada
Autumn Brook Gallery,

2007
The Sanctuary Gallery, Grace Church, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Burnaby Art Gallery, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver BC, Canada
Byng Art Gallery, Vancouver BC, Canada

2006
VanDusen Garden, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Pendulum Gallery, Sculptors’ Society of BC, Vancouver, BC, Canada

2000-2003
Commissions from Gardenstone Statuary. Vancouver
1986 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1987 Weller Potovsky Gallery, Toronto Ontario, Canada
1988 Weller Potovsky Gallery, Toronto Ontario, Canada
1989 Weller Potovsky Gallery, Toronto Ontario, Canada
1985 Winters Gallery York University

Collections
Louise’s art is featured in a number of private collections in Canada including the Catholic Archdiocese in Vancouver as well as private collectors in the USA, England, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Memberships
Sculptors’ Society of BC
FIDEM, Federation of International Medallists
MASC, Medallists Association of Canada
Registered member of the American Art Therapy Association

Education
2019 Master Class in Facial Reconstruction Sculpture with Karen T. Taylor, Texas State University
2018 Sculpting the Portrait in Clay, Florence Academy of Art
2017 Bas Relief with Eugene Daub, Scottsdale Arizona
2015 Master Class in Facial Reconstruction Sculpture with Karen T. Taylor, Texas State University
2014 Forensic Facial Reconstruction Sculpture with Karen Taylor, Scottsdale Art School, Arizona
2011 Master Class through the Society of Portrait Sculptors, London, England
2009 Master Class through the Society of Portrait Sculptors, London, England
2006 Medallion Workshop, Geert Maas, Kelowna
1997-98 Vancouver Art Institute, figurative and portrait classes,
1992-93 Capilano College Art Institute, North Vancouver, B.C.
1987-1989 Masters Level Diploma in Art Therapy Toronto Art Therapy Institute,
1982- 1985 Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, Honours, York University, Ont.
1981, University of Georgia Studies Abroad Program (Cortona Italy)
1979-1981 Diploma in Fine Arts, Vancouver Community College,

Teaching
MISSA, Metchosin International School for the Arts, June 2017
Kerrisdale Artists Group
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
Private workshops in Studio
UBC, support for Next-Gen U online programming, 2012
Byng Arts, 2012. 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018