MY NEW COLLECTION of paintings, inspired by a year of living near the Mediterranean, is all about the impact of colour, textures, and creative design. You can see this a series of new Abstracts, as well as a sumptuous variety of landscape and figurative works. The current series of paintings, both abstract and representational, adds to a growing body of work that is distinctively evocative of places and people living where imagination meets reality. In all my paintings, I hope to communicate the interrelatedness of the inner and outer worlds we inhabit, their richness, variety, and wonder. MY ARTWORK IS INFORMED by my own multicultural life, my multiple careers, art training, and extensive travels in real and in fantasy territory. It has won some awards, been chosen for curated shows and juried international competitions, appeared in books and media, and is collected internationally by enthusiastic art lovers. My next solo show is at the Seymour Art Gallery in April, 2012. Visit www.janetstrayerart.com to see more of my art and read my blog about living creatively well at www.janetstrayer.blogspot.com. EXHIBITIONS, AWARDS (since 2010) Upcoming Solo Exhibit, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, April, 2012; Drawing featured in 2012 Best of Conttemporary Drawing series: Strokes of Genius, North Light Books; Federation of Canadian Artists Autumn Salon juried show, 2011; Federation of Canadian Artists Still-Life juried show, September, 2011; Painting on the Edge! International Juried Show, Aug.-Sept., 2011; Acqualoreto Art, Invited Group Show, Umbria, Italy, August, 2011; Federation of Canadian Artists Juried Printmaking Show, June, 2011; First Place award in The Artist's Magazine all-media juried international competition, in July/Aug 2010 magazine issue; Finalist, Figurative Art, Artscene Today, 2011; Solo exhibit, Zack Gallery, Vancouver, June 2010 with nice review by press; Group exhibit, Roundhouse, Vancouver, April, 2010; Featured Artist, Artists in Our Midst, May, 2010.