My years of experience teaching deaf children helped me to develop a strong understanding of how feelings, emotion and knowledge can be communicated visually. I draw on this when creating art, painting in essence, the emotions of life. I use transparent watercolour to build shape, form and create atmosphere. Colour palette is very important to me in helping to create this ‘soul’ in a painting. I enjoy the subtleties of glazing to build shape and form and develop the colours I feel best convey the atmosphere I am after. If you have any questions you can email me at ona@onak.ca Awards and Publications 2014 Winsor and Newton Award California Watercolor Association 44th National Exhibition Charles Strissel Memorial Award IWS 30th National Exhibition First Place Niagara Watercolor Society Spring Show The Framing Depot Gold Award for Best in Show BWS Impressions of the Heart Exhibition Selected to feature in North Light Books Splash 16: The Best of Watercolour Featured in The International Watercolour Society 2014 catalogue 2013 Feature Article in the Art of Watercolour Magazine Issue 12 Donors Award at the Transparent Watercolor Society of America's 37th National Exhibition Best In Show and the Framing Depot Portrait Award at the BWS Luminosity 2013 Juried Exhibition The Strathmore Artist Papers Award at the 4th annual Signature American Watermedia Exhibition. Merit Award at the Louisiana Watercolor Society 43rd International Exhibition Selected to be featured in North Light Books' Splash 15: Creative Solutions and Strokes of Genius 6. 2012 Selected as one of the Watercolor Artist Magazine 2012 ‘One’s to Watch’ and featured in the December 2012 issue The Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Award’ at the Watercolor West 44th International Juried Exhibition People’s Choice Award BWS ‘Impressions 2012 Exhibition John Singer Sargent Award TWSA 2012 Exhibition The Framing Depot Gold Award for Best in show BWS Luminosity Exhibition Peoples Choice Award BWS Luminosity 2012 Exhibition Published in Canadian Brushstrokes Magazine 2011 Jade Fon Memorial Award California Watercolor Association 42nd National Exhibition Honorable Mention Pikes Peak Watercolor Society International Watermedia XV11 Exhibition Honorable mention BWS Luminosity 2011. Finalist in the Canadian Brushstrokes Magazine's Portrait competition.