About

“ I have a passion for painting portraits whether of a human or an animal. I often work in series where I can develop a theme over time and I enjoy telling stories with my paintings.”

LAARA CASSELLS is a contemporary Canadian painter best known for her representational paintings and portraits. Since 2010 her award-winning work has been shown in over 85 exhibitions worldwide.

Previously a professional theatre designer, Laara Cassells has designed sets and costumes for theatre, ballet, opera and film for numerous companies across Canada and Europe.

More recently, Laara has exhibited paintings, drawings and sculptures in Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, South Korea, Poland, Switzerland and across the USA and Canada.  Her work was selected for Nordart 2013 in Germany as the sole representative for Canada.

AWARDS

2019 Special Merit Award, “2019 Nature” Art Exhibition, LightSpaceTime Online Gallery, Palm Springs, CA. 2019 Best In Show Award, Richeson 75 International Figure/Portrait Exhibition, Richeson Gallery, Kimberly, WI. 2019 2nd Place in the Wet Media category, “2019 Fall Roundup Competition”, Western Art Rodeo Association, Spanish Fork, UT. 2019 2nd Place Painting, “All Animals” Competition, contemporaryartgalleryonline,com, Annapolis, MD. 2019 Honourable Mention for “Karlee”, “O Canada” exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. 2019             2nd Place Painting, 3rd Place Winner overall, “9th Annual Figurative” Online Competition, Light, Space, Time Gallery
2019             4th Place in Painting, “All Women’s Art Competition”, contemporaryartgalleryonline.com, Annapolis, MD.
2018             Artsy Shark Featured Artist Award, Carolyn Edlund, Founder, Artsy Shark, NY, NY.
2018             Top Featured Artist Award “Herstory” Exhibition”, Manhattan Arts International, NY, NY
2018             Third Place Award, “International Society of Acrylic Painters 1st Annual Master and Signature Artist Show” 
2018             Best Overall Acrylic, “7th Annual PleinAir Salon Dec/Jan Exhibition”, PleinAir Magazine.
2018             First Place Award, “Retro” Online Juried Exhibition, Federation of Canadian Artists, Vancouver, B.C.
2018             Honourable Mention, “Women Artists”, International Quarterly Group Online Art Exhibition, Fusion Art.
2017             People’s Choice Award, “Miracle of the Portrait” Competition, Portrait Society of Canada                
2016             1st Prize for Painting, “Con Corso Buenos Aires 8”, International Competition, Milan, Italy
2016             3rd Prize, First Annual All-Members Online Exhibition, International Society of Acrylic Painters
2013             Award of Exceptional Merit, Scottsdale Biennale, Scottsdale, AZ
2013             Holbein Award, 16th Annual Open International Exhibition, International Society of Acrylic Painters
2013             Medicine Hat Cultural Development Grant
2013             Award of Merit , 2013 National Juried Exhibition of National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society
2013             Editor’s Choice Award, “Portraits V”, Artist Portfolio Magazine
2013             Alberta Foundation for the Arts Grant

COLLECTIONS

2015             Esplanade Museum and Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta
2010             Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta
2010             Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat, Alberta
2009            School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
2005            Esplanade Museum and Art Gallery, Medicine Hat, Alberta
2004            Jeonju Historical Museum, Jeonju, South Korea
2003            City Hall, Balatonfured, Hungary
2001             Maison des Femmes, Brussels, Belgium
1998             Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat, Alberta
1985             University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta
1980             Broadway Medical Clinic, Vancouver, BC.

PUBLICATIONS

May 2019                      Featured in Article in May 2019 issue of Galleries West Magazine, Calgary, AB
Nov. 2018                      Featured in Oct/Nov 2018 Issue of Spotlight Magazine, Publ. Circle Foundation for the Arts, Lyon, France.
Sept. 2018                     Featured in September 2018 issue of Artists Magazine, publ: F + W Media Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
May 2018                      Featured in “AcrylicWorks 5: Bold Values”, publ: North Light Books, Blue Ash, OH, USA
Apr. 2018                      Featured in Winter 2018 Issue of Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine, Lyon, France.
Dec. 2017                     Feature article on “_after” series in “Acrylic Artist Magazine”, Dec. 2017.
Apr. 2017                      Featured in “Equine Art Today” in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine.
Feb. 2015                     “Laara Cassells : _after”, Catalogue by Esplanade Art Gallery, gallery @501 and Thames Art Gallery
Oct. 2014                     “Studio Visit Magazine, Vol. 28” publ: Open Studios Press, Boston, MA, USA
Sept. 2014                   Featured in Lorena Kloosterboer “Painting In Acrylics: the indispensable guide”. NY: Firefly Books, 2014.
Aug, 2013                    “Artist Portfolio Magazine” Issue 12, publ: Issuu, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
Jun. 2013                    “Nordart 2013 Catalogue”
Oct. 2012                     “International Painting Annual 2” publ: Manifest Press, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Mar. 2011                   “Ex Arte Equinus 4”  publ: Art Horse Magazine, Beaumont, Texas, USA
Apr. 2011                      “International Contemporary Artists” publ: ICA Publishing, NY, USA
Oct. 2011                       “Art Renewal Center Salon Catalogue 2010/2011” publ. Art Renewal Center Port Reading, NJ, USA
Nov. 2011                      “Canadian Who’s Who 2011” publ: University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada