Local high school student’s art featured at Shelburne Town Hall Art Gallery

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A 16-year-old Dufferin County artist is sharing her collection of work with the community at her debut exhibit.  

Alexandra Scott, a student of Westside Secondary School in Orangeville, will be displaying her paintings at the Shelburne Town Hall Art Gallery throughout September as part of Shelburne's latest art showcase. 

“It still feels quite surreal to have set up my own art gallery and getting to see my art, all up on full display for the community,” said Scott, in a phone interview with the Free Press. 

Scott discovered her passion for painting during the pandemic after she received an art kit for her birthday. Initially, she started with drawing but later expanded her work to include charcoal, watercolours, and eventually acrylics. 

In 2022, she began to expose her pieces of art to the community by selling them at various vendors' markets.

“I thought doing the art gallery [in Shelburne] could be a way of getting my name out there and exposing my art to the world or to a different group of people than those I see at the vendors shows,” said Scott. 

She primarily works in acrylic paint and watercolours, which give her a wide range of techniques and styles to explore. 

The exhibit features 27 pieces of work from Scott's collection she's developed over the years. One of her favourite pieces on display in the exhibit is called “Goddess,” which depicts a pink face with giant green eyes. 

“It was one of my first larger size painting and it took me just over year on and off to finish it. It has a lot of emotions in it, there's a lot of myself and everything I have worked for in it,” said Scott. 

When it comes to creating a new piece of work, Scott pulls much of her inspiration from how a specific subject, whether it be landscapes, portraits or objects, makes her feel emotionally in the moment. She then chooses to add abstract twists to the pieces to make them uniquely hers. 

“Everything I see on a day-to-day basis and the emotions I feel when I see it, I try to all of it and put it onto a canvas for everyone to see,” explained Scott. “I feel like a lot of my colour choices and texture comes from the emotions I felt.” 

Scott's exhibit will be on display at the Shelburne Town Hall Art Gallery until Sept. 27, with an opening reception scheduled for Sept. 14 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in seeing the show can do so Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.