Kris Paton was born and raised in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, B.C. Painting full-time professionally since 1997, she has been represented by galleries in Duncan, Shawnigan Lake, Victoria, White Rock, Whistler, and Kelowna. Her paintings have been shipped across Canada and the US, and have travelled as far afield as London, Switzerland, Japan and Australia.

Although abstract expressionism still holds her attention, she will often heed the call to either realism or impressionism. These representa-tional works, closer to her roots, show Paton’s inherent use of color and command of her materials.

In June 2009, Kristine moved to a quaint cottage on Cowichan Bay Farm. A converted root-house-now studio is where she spends many of her days painting. A free-range artist, she is content to be the tortoise in a world full of hares.

“Inspiration is everywhere: a glance, touch, smell or sound away. I paint at my own speed, and I only paint what feels right.” She will admit this does make a curator’s job more difficult; however, in support of this one-person-group-show approach, Hans Hofmann defended it best. When advised to choose a particular style and stick with it, he replied, “I am many people. I give to you at least three; they are all me.”