Connie Wheaton’s summer residency for the Fredericton Arts Alliance runs August 15-21.
Fredericton Arts Alliance
Connie Wheaton wants to celebrate the city of Fredericton and its true inner beauty through her abstract realism art.
In her first residency for the Fredericton Arts Alliance, Aug. 15–21, Wheaton proposes to sketch and paint the city’s historic and modern buildings, as well as its lifestyle, in watercolour and acrylic. She plans to travel around the city during the week, taking photos to paint later.
“I am inspired by everything around me. I am extremely versatile and paint anything from pets, florals, to large abstract pieces,” she said. “I love painting the city of Fredericton.”
This series of Fredericton paintings will feature not only the iconic buildings of the city, but also lesser-known locales and streets: alleys, building sides, houses, and other undiscovered Fredericton treasures that can bring joy to many people.
Wheaton is known for whimsical paintings of buildings and landscapes, as well as the use of vivid colours. She specializes in abstract realism because it allows her to be more playful with her ideas. After 20 years in the education field, she moved to being a full-time artist four years ago.
“I spent many years teaching art to children and eventually opened up my studio at 334 York St., House of Art by Connie,” she said.
Wheaton is a fan of and connected to Fredericton’s heritage despite being from Shelbourne, Ontario. She likes how everything is intertwined and how everyone is familiar with one another.
During her week-long residency, Wheaton will do live sketching and painting. She will be posting her travels around the city on her social media, Facebook and Instagram. Her pop-up event will take place the weekend of Aug. 20–21 at noon at Picaroons Round house, in which her artworks will be available for viewing, queries, and perhaps even purchases.
Since COVID-19, each FAA residency has been virtual, with artists profiling their work on social media. In 2021, the FAA instituted a real-time “pop-up” event where the artist could interact with visitors. An exhibition in the fall shows off the work created during the summer.
