ABOUT ME

About Suzanne Fernandez

I am a French Canadian artist and was born in Montreal Quebec. Before I could write my name, I was fascinated with how a pencil could draw a line and turn it into a picture. The first major influence of art on my life was seeing my father's paintings that hung framed in my grandmother's house. How I loved to sit and look at them. one was a painting of Paradise; it was so beautiful as it is still etched forever in my memory.

As a young child, I was raised in a very dysfunctional home and spent years in the foster care system. Art became a lifeline for me which also led me to discover my Christian Faith. For more on my testimony, there is an accompanying blog. It is my hope that my art will offer a greater illumination of the importance of purpose and calling in life. I spent most of my life struggling and was on my own from age 16 onward.

I began to study art in earnest while supporting myself. Initially, I was very discouraged with my abilities. It wasn’t till I met my painting professor that light appeared in my dark tunnel. He loved my work. It was like I could do no wrong. I felt everything I did was horrible and worthless, but he instructed me by saying, " art is not always about creating pretty pictures".  I found acceptance and liberty for my self-expression, which led me to explore and appreciated other famous artists such as Francisco Goya, Edward Munch, and Auguste Rodin. Powerful Art! Even though their art screamed from the gates of hell itself – I related.

It was also during this time I won an award at the University Fine Art College juried art show that was judged by the curator of the Royal Ontario art gallery and the National Art gallery of Canada. 

My work has since been created with the purpose of championing the voice of the voiceless, bringing creativity into darkness, and filling it with light. It has gone on to be featured in private collections, churches, universities, galleries, and television.