About THE ARTIST

Sheila knew that she was an artist at a very young age and recognized her ability as a gift and a calling from God. Her life-long journey in art began as a young girl who taught herself to paint by studying and copying the paintings of the old masters. She grew up in Brockville, Ontario and at age fourteen studied drawing under artist Mario Airomi, with whom her desire to become a professional artist was inspired and encouraged.

For the past thirty-plus years, Sheila’s focus has been on expressing her love of nature on canvas. Her acrylic paintings capture the strength and beauty found in creation through dramatic composition with a soft life-like quality that draws the viewer in. Her skill and versatility as an artist are demonstrated in the many and often unexpected subjects she portrays which often convey a message of hope. She also enjoys working in mixed media and sculpture but her true love is for painting.

Sheila’s artwork has received numerous awards and has gained international recognition in the world of wildlife art. Her paintings have been featured by many conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited Canada and Artists for Conservation(AFC). Since her first show in 1982, Sheila continues to exhibit her art in many shows across Canada and beyond and is a perennial exhibitor at the prestigious Buckhorn Fine Art Festival (formerly the Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival) located in Buckhorn, Ontario.

Her work can be found in many private and corporate collections around the world. In 2003 Sheila was the featured artist for the WPBS TV Art Auction in Watertown New York, where   “Natural Instincts”, a half-hour documentary about Sheila and her career as an artist was produced and aired.

Sheila began her journey as an artist at age twelve with her first set of oil paints and continues to this day. She now lives and paints in her studio, in the village of Lyn, Ontario and dedicates most of her art to Christian ministry.

“Painting is my intimate time with God, a time of worship and a time of great peace.”                       ~ Sheila Ballantyne

Sheila Ballantyne – Visual Artist

Resume / CV
Credits and Awards

2020 "Joy Comes In The Morning" Honorable Mention Award, open juried exhibition, Window Gallery, KSOA Kingston ON.
2019 "Fledgling Sparrows" Honorable Mention Award. Open juried show at the Window Gallery, KSOA, Kingston ON.
2018 "Pontiac" chosen for "The Lives of Birds", Special Exhibition, Buckhorn Fine Art Festival.
2018 "Trust" Finalist in the 13th International ARC Salon Competition, Art Renewal Center website and catalogue.
2017 “Shattered”  Finalist in International Artist magazine’s, Art Prize Challenge No. 102, Abstract/Experimental Art ,published in Issue 118 Dec. 2017 /Jan. 2018,  page 18
2017 "Fawn Island" chosen for exhibit at the Arthur Childs Museum, Gananoque, ON.
2017 "Celtic Roots" chosen for inclusion in "Oh Canada! Our True North", Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, Feature Exhibition, Buckhorn, ON.
2017 CIVA/Christians in the Visual Arts, selects “Good Morning” for “First Fruits”, a three year traveling exhibition throughout the US.
2016 "Shattered" chosen for inclusion in "Art & Soul" 9th Annual Juried Art Show, MVS Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, ON.
2015 Artists for Conservation selects “Adelaide Island” for “The Art of Conservation” Festival Exhibit, Grouse Mt. Vancouver and on to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2013 "Annual Juried Art Salon" - Kingston Arts Council, Kingston Ontario
2012 Artists for Conservation selects "Close Encounter" and "Silo Haunt" for their 5th Annual "The Art of Conservation" Festival Exhibit at Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver BC
2012 “Prison of Pain” Second Place Juror’s Choice Award “Space” – 5th Annual Juried Art Show, MVS Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville
2012 "Arts in the Arch" - Frontenac Arch Biosphere Juried exhibition at MVS Gallery St. Lawrence College, Brockville
2012 Buckhorn Fine Art Festival selects "Red-wing" as their 35th year anniversary promotional piece
2011 "The Art of Conservation" - Artists for Conservation's 4th Annual Juried Art Show, Grouse Mountain, Vancouver
2011 Artists for Conservation selects "Under Surveillance" and "Timeless" (Festival Promotional Painting) for their 4th Annual "The Art of Conservation" Festival Exhibit, Grouse Mt. Vancouver & on to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2011 “Timeless" captures the People Choice Award at St. Lawrence College Marianne van Silfhout Gallery 4th Annual Art Show titled Spirit of the Land.
2011 1000 Islands Arts Center, Clayton, NY selects “Whispering Pines” for their Along the River’s Edge Juried Art Show.
2011 Kingston Juried Arts Salon selects “Under Surveillance”
2010 Artist for Conservation selects "Tomahawk Rock" and "Grace" for inclusion their 2010 The Art of Conservation Annual Show
2010 Sheila's "Tomahawk Rock" wins "People Choice Award" at Three Horse Art Studio Show
2010 Kingston Arts Council Selects "Tomahawk Rock" for 9th Annual Juried Art Salon
2009 Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, St. Lawrence College, selects "Melancholy George" and "The Point" for their second annual juried art Show.
2009 Selected as Featured Artist for S.A.I.L. Annual Art Show & Sale
2008 "Front Row Seats" receives Juror’s Choice award, Along The River’s Edge juried art show at the Thousand Islands Arts Center, Clayton, NY
2007 Ducks Unlimited Canada selects "Thrill Seekers" for their 2008 National Art Portfolio.
2004 Parks Canada St. Lawrence  Islands National Park, purchase award
2003 Featured artist on WPBS-TV Annual Art Auction (set overbid record of $6,400 US)
2002 Frederick Remington Museum (Ogdensburg NY) International Juried Art Show
2001 Ducks Unlimited Canada - 2 paintings selected for DU National Art Portfolio.
1999 Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters (Awarded placement in calendar 2000)
1992 Best In Show, Environmental juried art show, “Who Cares?” St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
Long time exhibitor in the prestigious Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival.

Exhibitions 

2020 KSOA Window Gallery Kingston, ON. Opened Juried Show
2019  Window Gallery Kingston, ON. Open Juried Show, 2 paintings.
2018  CIVA "First Fruits" Traveling Exhibition, Trinity International University, Deerfield IL - St. George's Anglican Church Gallery, Colorado Springs CO - Lincoln Berean Church, Lincoln Nebraska - The Fourth Chapter Gallery, Christ Community Church, Kansas City MO - Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta Georgia
2017  CIVA "First Fruits" Traveling Exhibition CIVA Gallery 212 Madison, WI
2017 Buckhorn Fine Art Festival and Feature Exhibition "Oh Canada! Our True North".
2016 "Art & Soul" 9th Annual Juried Art Show, MVS Gallery, St. Lawrence College.
2016 Buckhorn Fine Art Festival
2016 Solo Exhibition, Brockville Arts Center
2015 AFC – Annual Juried Art Show – Grouse Mt. Vancouver & Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2015 Buckhorn Fine Art Festival – Buckhorn ON.
2015 Solo Exhibition – Brockville Arts Center
2014 Juried Art Show – “Water” – White Flag Gallery – Brockville, ON.
2014 Studio Tour – “Art In The City” – Brockville, ON.
2013 Juried Art Show – “The Creator’s Hand” – White Flag Gallery – Brockville, ON.
2013 Annual Juried Art Salon – Kingston, ON.
2012 AFC 5th Annual Juried Art Show – “The Art of Conservation” – Grouse Mt. Vancouver
2012 MVS Gallery, St. Lawrence College, 5th Annual Juried Art Show; "Space”, Brockville
2012 Frontenac Arch Biosphere / Arts in the Arch juried show, MVS Gallery, Brockville
2010 – 2012 Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, Buckhorn, Ontario
2008 – 2014 Inspirations Art Gallery – White Flag Gallery, Co-Owner, Brockville Ontario
2011 AFC - 4th Annual Juried Art Show, Grouse Mt, Vancouver & Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2011 "Spirit of the Land" - 4th Annual Juried Art Show, MVS Gallery, St. Lawrence College
2011 "Along the River's Edge" - Annual Juried Art Show, 1000 Islands Arts Center, Clayton, NY.
2011 "Annual Juried Art Salon" - Kingston Arts Council, Kingston Ontario
2010 The Art of Conservation, International exhibit of Nature in Art, Virtual Show
2010 Kingston Juried Art Salon, Kingston, Ontario
2008 – 2010 Three Horse Art Studio Annual Show & Sale, Lansdowne Ontario,
2008 – 2009 Thousand Islands Arts Center juried show “Along the River’s Edge”, Clayton, NY
2009 Beaux-Arts Brampton, “Walk on the Wild Side” Juried art show, Brampton, Ontario
2004 – 2008 Rideau Valley Art Festival, Westport, Ontario
1998 – 2008 TIA Studio Tours, Up The Garden Path & A Country Home Christmas
2007 The Coach House Gallery, Ivy Lea, Ontario
1997 – 2005 Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival, Buckhorn, Ontario
2005 Frederick Remington Museum, International juried art show, Ogdensburg, New York
2005 Kingston Juried Art Salon, Kingston, Ontario
2005 Brighton Applefest Art Show, Brighton, Ontario
2004 “Bones of the Mother” Juried art show, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, Ontario
2004 Thousand Islands Playhouse Gallery, “A Slice of Life”, three artist show, Gananoque, On.
1996 – 2003 Thousand Islands Fine Arts Association (TIFAA) annual art show, Rockport, Ontario
2003 Nuttall Gallery, Wildlife Art Show, Gananoque, Ontario
2002 Frederick Remington Museum, International juried art show, Ogdensburg, NY
2000 Nation’s Capital Fine Art Festival, Ottawa, Ontario
2000 Simcoe Gallery “Nature and Wildlife”, Three artist show, Toronto, Ontario
1999 Mulberry Grange Art Show (By Invitation), Harrowsmith, Ontario
1997 Brockville Arts Center solo show – “A Glimpse of Portugal”
1992 Environmental juried art show, “Who Cares?” St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
1989 Solo Show, Brockville Arts Center, Brockville Ontario
1982 Two Artist Show, Brockville Arts Center, Brockville Ontario

Reviews

8/09/2011 St. Lawrence EMC writes "Inspirations Art Gallery: An art gallery of inspirations"
by Doreen Barnes (pages 11 & 12)
4/08/2011 St. Lawrence EMC pg 8, highlights gallery and Sheila’s upcoming exhibitions
2011 Cogeco-TV "The Source" profiles Sheila and Inspirations Art Gallery
2009 Living in Brockville magazine features Sheila's art and Inspirations Art Gallery in
their June issue
15/08/2008 The Reporter, Gananoque Ont., Artists showcase latest work, 3 Horse Art Studio
31/07/2008 St. Lawrence EMC pg.21, Local artist receives top award in American show
07/02/2008 St. Lawrence EMC pg.33, Brockville artist uses talents to help Ontario’s wetlands
08/08/2007 The Mural pg.13, Athens Ont., Four area artists launch new Ivy Lea gallery
00/10/2005 Brockville Recorder & Times, Works of local artists selected for juried show (Frederick Remington Museum) Ogdensburg, New York
26/08/2004 The Review-Mirror/Rideau Valley Art Festival Supplement, “Ballantyne brings vision of nature to life”
04/08/2004 The Mural Pg.6, Athens Ont., Parks Canada Purchase Award
02/06/2004 The Reporter, Gananoque Ont., 3 artist show, 1000 Islands Playhouse Gallery
17/12/2003 The Mural pg.18, Athens Ont., Ballantyne painting sets record
19/11/2003 Watertown Daily Times B1, Watertown New York, WPBS-TV Featured Artist
00/11/2003 The St. Lawrence EMC, Local artist hits big time in U.S.
00/11/2003 Brockville Recorder & Times, WPBS-TV Featured Artist
16/07/2003 The Reporter G7, Gananoque Ont., Wildlife Show at Nuttall Gallery
30/04/2003 The Reporter, Gananoque Ont., Take a walk Up the Garden Path, Studio Tour
00/04/2003 St. Lawrence EMC, Take in nature and art at Studio Tour
25/09/2001 Brockville Recorder & Times A4, Caintown artist has 2 entries in Ducks Unlimited 2001 Catalogue
10/11/2000 The St. Lawrence EMC, Ducks Unlimited Awards
28/10/2000 Brockville Recorder & Times C8, Local artist’s work makes D. U. Portfolio
15/07/2000 The National Post, Weekend Post/Arts & Entertainment, Simcoe Gallery, Nature & Wildlife, 3 artist show, Toronto
12/09/1997 Brockville Recorder & Times, Caintown Artist shows work at BAC
07/02/1986 Brockville Recorder & Times, Centre Stage with Dan Black, 2 artist show BAC

Publications

2018 Art Renewal Center Catalogue
2017 International Artist Magazine, issue 118, page 18
2012 The Art of Conservation, show companion hard-cover book, 2 paintings featured
2011 The Art of Conservation, show companion hard-cover book, 2 paintings featured
2010 The Art of Conservation, show companion hard-cover book, 2 paintings featured
June 2009 Living in Brockville Magazine pg.32, Focus on Local Art / Inspirations Art Gallery

Television

May 2011 Cogeco -TV "The Source" profiles Sheila and Inspiration Art Gallery
Nov. 2003 Featured artist on WPBS-TV annual art auction, Watertown, New York.
Painting “Bountiful Beauty” set an overbid record of $6,400. U.S.
A half-hour documentary about Sheila’s life as an artist was produced and aired by WPBS-TV

Memberships 

2004 to Present AFC / Artists for Conservation, Signature Member
2011 to Present CIVA / Christians in the Visual Arts
2004 to 2015 Kingston Arts Council, Member

Gallery Representation

Studio 87, formerly Gallery on Gore.  87 Gore St. East, Perth ON. www.galleryongore.com