Marica Villeneuve

Born in Toronto, Marica travelled between Northern and Southern Ontario regularly, living in both the GTA and North Bay at different points in her life. She graduated from York University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts with a Psychology Minor, specializing in drawing and painting and winning awards in both disciplines. After graduating, she worked as a custom art framer and then as an art & framing consultant in the interior design district of North York. In September 2021, she began working as a full-time artist based in Toronto. After relocating to London, Ontario in September 2023, she eventually started working as a custom framer again and began working at Westland Gallery while continuing to participate in art shows and fairs around Southern Ontario, as well as winning the 3rd Place People’s Choice Award at ART COMP by 100 Kellogg in 2024. Her art practice mainly consists of detailed works that combine realism and surrealism, with the goal of making the impossible look possible. Her experience in the framing and interior design industries influence her art, in that interesting framing choices, colour combinations, and patterns are frequently included. Marica’s main inspiration is nature and her desire to highlight its beauty. Having experienced life in both urban and rural spaces gave her a well-rounded appreciation for city life and for being surrounded by nature. Whether it’s by relating opposing natural elements to each other, or by relating nature with man-made spaces and objects, she hopes that her artwork shows that everything on our planet is connected and that harmony can be found if we better appreciate and preserve the world that we live in.