ARTIST STATEMENT
EXHIBITION HISTORY
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Statement
Exhibitions
Publications
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Artist Statement -



Christine Montague is a professional award winning visual artist known for her portraiture commissions, figurative landscape art, and polar bear oil paintings.

Why polar bears The character and spirit of the bears, their high intelligence think great ape, their solitary lifestyle, excellent mothering skills, their place in our world, and the very landscape they wander in, embodies all that I have tried to represent in my other artworks - spirit, character, intelligence, personality, solitude without loneliness, discovery, mindfulness, joy, beauty, escape.

Travels to the Canadian arctic Iqaluit Cape Dorset in Nunavut and subarctic Churchill,Manitoba, Canada - polar bear capital of the world and my stay at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, furthered my education and wonder for these magnificent bears and the magical landscape and skyscape - the northern lights.

Polar bears are definitely a canary in the coal mine symbol of climate change and my polar bear paintings often symbolize this potential for great loss as their numbers reduce. The effect vanishing ice has on the survival of the polar bear resulted in my series such as the Sink Swim Series.

But other works simply pay tribute to this wonder animal in its magical, mysterious environment of frozen plain, icy cliffs, endless tundra and spiritual magical lights.

Montague is a a self representing artist with over 10 years experience in owning an open studio gallery in an arts destination. Primarily I sell my art online, portraits, figurative work, and now polar bear paintings are in collections in Canada, U.S.A., Great Britain and Bermuda.

Her paintings have been in over 50 shows, many of them juried.

Recently, her polar bear painting Dark Water 1 was awarded top prize in the CNE Juried Show in Toronto, Canada.

Montague lives in the greater Toronto area with her husband, children, and two cats one is named Bear, and a growing celebration of imaginary polar bears.

Artist Exhibitions



Selected Shows
Upcoming March 2018 Dark Water a solo show about polar bears and climate change. Artworld Fine Art Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

2017 Grand prix winner. CNE Juried Show. CNE. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2017 TWAC Members Show. Artworld Fine Art Gallery. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2016 TWAC Members Show. Artworld Fine Art Gallery. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
2016. Joy of Art. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams , Ontario.
2015. Award winner. This Changes Everything Climate change based juried art show. Headwaters Arts. Alton Mill.
2014 Arts on the Credit Art Fair. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
2013 Arts on the Credit Art Fair. Mississauga, Ontario canada.
2012 Hills of Headwaters Juried Art Show. SGI Centre. Caledon, Ontario, Canada
2012 Williams Mill Artist Showcase. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre, Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2012 Spring Reveal. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2011 Lake Dreams. Solo Show. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2011 Big Show, Small Works. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2011 Visual Arts Mississauga 33rd Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts, Art Gallery of Mississuga, Mississauga, Ontario
2011 Eye full V. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2011 MAG Show. Williams Mill Gallery. Williams Mill Visual Arts Centre. Glen Williams, Halton Hills, Ontario.
2011 The Salmon Run Project. Art gallery of Mississauga. AGM Mississauga, Ontario
2010 Inaugural OCADU alumni juried show Where They Are Now Art Square Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2010 Visual Arts Mississauga 32nd Annual Juried Show of Fine Arts. Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, ON
2010 Eyeful Art Salon. Williams Mill gallery, Georgetown, Ontario
2010 Snow. Williams Mill Gallery. Glen Williams, ON
2009 Big Art, Small Works. Williams Mill Gallery. Glen Williams, ON
2009 Art-09. Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Toronto, ON
2008 Artworks 9th Annual Juried Show. Oakville Town Hall Gallery. Oakville, ON
2008 Living Arts Centre 10th Anniversary Juried Art Show. Laidlaw Hall Gallery. The Living Arts Centre. Mississauga, ON
2008 Artworks. Beaux-Arts Brampton Board of Directors Show. Beaux-Arts Gallery. Brampton.
2008 eye full III Art Salon 2008, Williams Mill Gallery, Glen Williams,
2007 Colour and Form Society Annual Juried Art Show. Etobicoke Civic Centre Gallery.
2007 Artworks Oakville 8th Annual Juried Show. Oakville Town Hall. Oakville.
2007 5th Anniversary Members Show. Beaux-Arts Gallery. Brampton.
2007 Diversity. Society of Canadian Artists. J.D. Carrier Gallery. Toronto.
2007 Eye Full II Annual Art Salon. Williams Mill Galler
2006 Visual Arts Mississauga Annual Juried Art Show, Art Galley of Mississauga. Mississauga.
2006 Made to Measure. Arts Etobicoke Gallery, Toronto.
2006 Artworks 7th Annual Juried Show, Oakville Town Hall. Oakville. 2nd prize
2006 Art Gallery of Peel 33rd Annual Juried Show, Brampton.
2006 John Sommer Annual Juried Show, Halton Hills Cultural Centre, Georgetown. Juror Award
2006 Contemporary Works. gallery Streetsville. Mississauga.
2005 Visual Arts Mississauga Annual Juried Art Show. Art Gallery of Mississauga. Mississauga.
2005 Arts Etobicoke Annual Juried Art Show. Etobicoke Civic centre. Toronto.
2005 John Sommer Juried Show. Halton Hills Cultural Centre. Georgetown.
2005 Mill Works. Halton Hills Art Gallery, Georgetown.
2005 Sands of Time - Board Director Show. Beaux - Arts Gallery, Brampton.

Awards
2008 Won commission to paint Oscar Peterson for Living Arts Centre Atrium, Mississauga
2006 2nd Prize. Artworks Oakville 7th Annual Juried Show
2006 Juror�s Award For Photography. John Sommer Annual Juried Show

Solo
May 2-4th,2008 The Hidden Garden. Visual Arts Mississauga. Mississauga.
2008 Journey to the Mill. Photography. Whitney Gallery. Peel Heritage Complex. Brampton.
2005 Singular. Paintings Photographs. Williams Mill Art Gallery. Glen Williams, Ontario. ...

Artist Publications



WHAT THE JURORS SAY:
• “The artist exhibits a remarkable understanding of oil painting as well as an unusual depiction of a subject which is familiar but seen in a different light. “- Lupe Rodriguez , artist, Art Gallery of Ontario & U. Of T. lecturer, CBC arts commentator . - Ann MacDonald, Director/Curator Doris McCarthy Gallery
• “This one (a cat) is dreaming of conquest and power and the artist’s virtuoso brushwork perfectly suits the animal’s emotion. - John Sommer, Curator, Gallery Sol, Georgetown
• "Expertly composed and executed work with the flow of pattern on the water's surface echoed in the plant life on the shore. The colour of the flowers is a perfect counterpoint to the cool blues of the lake.- Juror Judy Daley's Comment, Assistant Curator of Art Gallery of Peel, Heritage Complex. Brampton

SELECTED AWARDS:
2008 Portrait Commission Dr. Oscar Peterson. Living Arts Centre. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
2006 "2nd Prize", Artworks, oakville Arts Council Annual Juried Show, Oakville, Ontario
2006 "Juror's Award" (for a photograph) John Sommer Juried Show, Georgetown,ON
2004 "Best in Show", Arts Etobicoke Annual Juried Art Show.

2004 Juror's Award (Top Award) , Beaux - Arts Brampton
Annual Juried Art Show.
2003 Nancy Bell Memorial Award (Top Award) Beaux - Arts
Brampton Annual Juried Art Show.
1990 City of Brampton Citizen Arts Acclaim Award.

WHAT THE JURORS SAY: “The artist exhibits a remarkable
understanding of oil painting as well as an unusual
depiction of a subject which is familiar but seen in a
different light. “- Lupe Rodriguez , artist, Art Gallery of
Ontario & U. Of T. lecturer, CBC arts commentator . - Ann
MacDonald, Director/Curator Doris McCarthy Gallery


“This one (a cat) is dreaming of conquest and power and the
artist’s virtuoso brushwork perfectly suits the animal’s
emotion. - John Sommer, Curator, Gallery Sol, Georgetown

"Expertly composed and executed work with the flow of
pattern on the water's surface echoed in the plant life on
the shore. The colour of the flowers is a perfect
counterpoint to the cool blues of the lake.- Juror Judy
Daley's Comment, Assistant Curator of Art Gallery of Peel,
Heritage Complex. Brampton ...

Artist Collections



Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Department of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Peel Board of Education, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
North American Pain Association
Numerous Private Collections ...

Artist Favorites