My name is Anne.
Painter, writer.
I grew up in a small town in Quebec.
In 2015, I moved to Vancouver.
At the time, writing was my only artistic outlet.
Life having its challenges, I experienced homelessness during my first 7 months there.
It was dark, very dark time.
I discovered my love for painting and drawing then. One night, just an other night surviving, I picked up a few markers and a big sheet of paper. And drew.
Drew.
And drew.
And I felt peace.
Like I haven’t in a long time.
And I was amazed by the Colors.
And I kept on going.
Overtime, I discovered my love for watercolors.
Practical, as they fitted in my backpack, dried fast and easy to carry around.
It was dark, very dark time.
But this peace that making art brought, helped me to keep going.
I was not a mom yet, I was not sober yet, I was not equipped to deal with my overwhelming emotions and thoughts yet.
But I had art. To keep me going.
In April 2016, I found sobriety. Or sobriety found me.
I was scared.
I didn’t know how to paint, live, socialize, be.
I didn’t know life, sober.
Despite my fears, I kept on painting.
I stayed sober, ever since.
I had my children.
I lost my mom.
I discovered acrylics and oil pastels.
I dreamed. Big and bigger dreams.
I met beautiful people.
I received help and I helped.
I felt sad, angry, anxious, happy, nothing or too much.
I felt alive.
And all along, there was art.
To bring me peace.
To keep me going.

Making art saved my life.
Making art saves my life.

My name is Anne.
It is nice to meet you.

Auden Derksen was born in Vancouver, BC and raised up north in Prince George, BC. Attending secondary and post secondary school in PG, he pursued art intensely in high school and moved onto study social work at the University of Northern British Columbia. Although his pursuit of a social work career has been put aside, it solidified many of the values Auden expresses in his artwork. Emotions, trauma, and feeling recognized for your experience is a significant part of social work and his process in developing his art. He unanimously won first place in 2018 for the Canadian Mental Health Association art contest, which would help build his foundation of expressing difficult emotions through the power of art. Auden has experience with a variety of mediums, ranging from painting, digital artwork, and animation. His favourite medium consists of a little bit of everything, as he enjoys the creative process of all art mediums. Using digital art programs such as Procreate, Auden creates meaningful pieces with people and emotions as his center piece. It is Auden’s hope that you see a part of yourself in his artwork.

Full time artist, illustrator and mural artist. I love painting wildlife and scenery. I have my own unique style that alot of people recognize.

was born on the breathtaking lands of Vancouver, British Columbia, and now make my home in Prince George — a place surrounded by the beauty of the rivers and forest.
I am a proud member of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation — with roots reaching to Kingcome Inlet, Alert Bay, and Gilford Island. This photo of my mother Ella and me holds deep meaning. She was born in Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island, just off the coast of Vancouver Island near Campbell River. Many of my most cherished memories come from those summers spent there — picking salal, uncovering old bottles, and gathering driftwood along the beaches where sea and sky meet in endless conversation.
My journey as an artist began in 2003, when my husband Brian and I took my mother to her home territory on Gilford Island — for the very first time. There, I met my Great-Great Uncle Sam, a master carver whose wisdom and artistry awakened something deep within me. I spent countless hours beside him, learning through stories, spirit, and silence. From that visit, I knew my path had found me — I was meant to be an artist.
Since that moment, I have walked a creative path guided by both ancestral memory and personal vision. I am a self-taught artist, creating in a fusion of Mid Coast Indigenous formline and contemporary expression. My works flow through many mediums — acrylics and oils on canvas, beaded jewelry using semi-precious stones and glass beads, cedar and devil’s club earrings, cedar and contemporary trading bead earrings, and smudge sprays. I am exploring more options in the creation of Indigenous medicinal products and hope to have them available soon. Each piece carries the essence of land, lineage, and spirit.
Today, I serve on the Board of Directors with Arts BC and continue my journey through mentorship in the Native Liaison role — helping to strengthen connections between culture, creativity, and community.
Thank you for taking the time to connect with my work. Every brushstroke and bead holds a story — one that honours the past, celebrates the present, and envisions the beauty of what’s yet to come.
With gratitude and light

Inspired by nature, animals and the people in her life, Karen paints stories through her art. She often finds herself dreaming of her next creative idea, which she meticulously translates onto a medium with her special skills. While acrylics, oil and etching are some of her favorite mediums to play around with, Karen's artwork can be found on rocks, glassware, driftwood, canvas and feathers.

Kat creates innovative, inventive and fun mixed media pieces. She gets an adrenaline rush painting in front of a live audience in just 20 minutes.

I am a multi media artist from Prince George, BC. I dabble in a range of art from acrylic painting to digital art and a variety of crafts. I love playing with darkness and contrast in my work.

Started a little art project to help me with my mental health in 2023. Have had a lot of fun working with the variety of mediums that have been available to me through my SketchBox subscription. I'm not limited to one medium, and enjoy working with anything I can create art with

I like to paint colourful expressions of nothingness to let me brain interpret as somethings but also nothing. I also sometimes like to hone in on a realistic piece of art to teat my concentration and visual perception of reality. Life is art. Make it.