Tidepool No. 1

Michelle Barkway (b. 1977) is a Victoria-based artist whose abstract landscape work is shaped by years spent studying and observing the natural environments of Vancouver Island. Trained as a biologist (and coming back to art as a second career), she brings a scientific clarity to her process - translating ecological patterns, coastal atmospheres, and natural structures into both paintings and hand-drawn works on paper. Originally hand-drawn in ink and paint on paper, this series reflects her deep connection to the West Coast. Through pared-down forms, gestural mark-making, and a restrained palette, Barkway distills the essence of coastal landscapes into abstract compositions that echo the environments she knows intimately. Barkway lives in Victoria, BC with her husband and two teenage sons, and her work has been exhibited in galleries across British Columbia and collected by private clients throughout Canada.

A self-taught painter, Michelle has developed a unique and recognizable style. Using hard edge lines, she aims to simplify intensely complex landscapes into their larger component parts. She works from photos and memories collected while exploring the beaches, forests and trails of Western Canada. Her compositions and colour palettes invite the viewer to take a deep breath and soak in some west coast calm and wonder.