Abstract Art Rooted in Intuition, Design, and Lived Experience
Connie O’Connor is a Vancouver based abstract artist whose work is shaped by a lifetime of creativity, a love of design, and a deep connection to the natural world. Raised on a farm in rural Manitoba, she grew up immersed in big skies, open horizons, and colourful gardens - a visual language that continues to influence her compositions.
For over 30 years, Connie taught high school, specializing in Fashion & Design. She believes the principles of design are part of her DNA, and her background in fabric, pattern, and structure is evident in every brushstroke.
In 2006, a breast cancer diagnosis shifted her path. As part of her recovery, she turned to mindful meditation and enrolled in her first acrylic painting class. What began as healing soon evolved into passion. By 2016, she had entered her first juried show with the Federation of Canadian Artists, and since then, her work has been exhibited in numerous shows and galleries across British Columbia.
Connie’s artistic process is guided by three words: Feeling. Intuiting. Sensing.
She begins each piece with words - names, thoughts, or inspirations - scribbled onto the canvas and buried beneath layers of paint. Working flat on the floor or tabletop, she moves around the surface, making gestural marks and building up texture with acrylics, charcoal, oil pastels, and mediums.
While her earlier work included florals and landscapes, she now works almost exclusively in abstraction. Her paintings blend the energetic and the peaceful, inviting viewers to connect not only with what they see - but with what they feel. She paints intuitively with each brushstroke leading to the next. Layers build a story. Her goal is not to explain what the piece is about - but to give the viewer the space to find their own meaning.
“My greatest honour is when my art becomes part of someone’s home - a lasting connection formed through colours, emotions and feelings”.
Visit the Discover Abstract Artists website and you will find amazing abstract artists world wide. This link features an interview with Connie.