Dorchester, Ont. artist puts passion to purpose in helping save endangered wildlife
Dorchester, Ont. artist Jade Williamson found purpose for her passion when she began doing portraits of endangered wildlife.
Putting charcoal to canvass, she makes the eyes come alive. “And you want to kind of convey that loneliness or that sadness,” she explained. “You want to reach people with art, right?”
The 21-year-old Western University Fine Arts grad is getting accolades for her images of wildlife on black backrounds. Her work is in conte, or coloured charcoal, and done in free-hand. “‘Cause a lot of my work I use materials or imagery to express what’s threatening them, and what’s putting them at risk.”
Dorchester, Ont. artist Jade Williamson seen here on June 21, 2021. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV London)
Dorchester, Ont. artist Jade Williamson seen here on June 21, 2021. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV London)
Among her many subjects are polar bears, shoe bills, and antelopes. Proceeds from her work as the exclusive artist for Polar Nation - a team of local artists and designers - go toward polar bear conservation, and battling climate change.
“I wanted my art to have a purpose. And so in order to do so I was thinking about how I wanted to use my art and bring awareness to endangered species. So I kind of found my place and why I do what I do.”
Williamson plans to attend teachers college at the University of Windsor in the fall. She hopes to continue in professional art, while inspiring youth to put their own passion to purpose.
“I loved that feeling and I want to chase that as well,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.