Barbara Whelan oil painting

Not bad for a chance trip to the thrift store. 36 by 24...

Barbara Whelan

Barbara Whelan is a very well-known and much admired painter recognised for her colourful scenes of the Quinte area. Her spontaneous approach, her loose and flowing brush work, plus a very skilled and lively use of colour are demonstrated in her subject matter.

Barbara took an early interest in drawing and painting, winning her first award in grade four. Her work has been accepted in numerous juried shows since 1961 and she has received a collection of awards. One award of note is in 2003; Barbara was the proud recipient of the annual “Arts Recognition Award” from the City of Belleville. This award was through the Quinte Art’s Council for Barbara’s long standing support and contributions to the community.

Over the years, Barbara has been a founding member of the Belleville Art Association, Burlington Fine Arts and Gallery 121. She has been a long standing member of the East Central Ontario Art Association and the Quinte Arts Council. She has taught for Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology, the Belleville Recreation Department and the East Central Ontario Art Association inspiring and mentoring local artists. In 1973, she founded ART on the FENCE in Ameliasburg, Ontario which successfully ran for over 30 years.

“Skating on the Harbour” was presented in 1994 to the City of Lahr, Germany by the city of Belleville to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the “twinning” of the two cities and may be seen in the Lahr City Hall. In May 2000, Belleville’s second twin city Gunpo, South Korea was presented with another of Barbara’s scenes of the Quinte area. Also that year, Major General Lewis Mackenzie was awarded one of her works from the City of Belleville on behalf of the United Nations.

Commissions have included a Cultural Award for the City of Belleville and in 2002 she was asked to design the poster for Belleville’s annual Festival of Trees. Her paintings were also commissioned for Christmas cards for the late Jack Ellis, M.P. and Lyle Vanclief, M.P.

Barbara Whelan paintings can be found in private and corporate collections across Canada, in the United States, Ireland, England, Poland, Australia as well as Germany and South Korea. It has been stated “Her very popular paintings, full of local content, are displayed in galleries and private collections from Vancouver to Newfoundland and beyond. You might say has in her own unique way, put Belleville on the map.”

Barbara has travelled across Canada, the US and throughout Europe; always with sketch book in hand. Her paintings reflect her tireless observation of life as well as a lover of landscape and peopl