BIOGRAPHY
Brenda Nelson is a registered Metis woman with additional indigenous heritage roots being discovered, she was the first born to her teenage Mother in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in December 1979. There are many members of both her Mother and Father’s families who have served in the Military including her Father.
Brenda and her family moved often throughout her childhood within the area, she often was the new kid in school sometimes multiple times within a year.
In each school Brenda displayed her interest and talent for all things creative. Brenda was often encouraged by her teachers to enter contests, sometimes winning small awards and other times being mentioned in the local paper, The Sault Star.
Brenda attended St. Mary’s College High School for the full duration of her high school years. Again her teachers helped encourage her Artistic abilities, she became active within the Community with small projects.
Brenda had illustrated a children’s book for a local author, drew signs for small businesses, painted a textured mural for the children’s waiting room in one of the hospitals, designed a poster for a high school play and contributed to many murals within Sault Ste. Marie. One of which was painted at the Art Gallery of Algoma and displayed at the Memorial Gardens.
Brenda graduated high school and left to attend Sheridan College where she graduated the Art Fundamentals program followed by the Correctional Worker program.
Immediately afterwards Brenda married and had three children who remain in Southern Ontario.
After 22 years, and many visits Brenda returned to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario during the pandemic. Hopeful to find the familiarity and comfort from family and friends.
While working in different areas such as health care, social services, retail, small business, hospitality, manufacturing and now for a Non-Profit organization close to her heart, the Art Gallery of Algoma. Brenda has maintained a presence within the Arts in most places she has lived. She has been apart of the Art Group in Strathroy, Watford and now a new member to the Algoma Art Society in her home town of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Brenda has been a vendor in Art in the Park events in St. Thomas, Strathroy, Watford and Petrolia. She has had her work displayed in Strathroy, Watford and Glencoe, Ontario.
Brenda’s love for the outdoors still remain and are dominantly her subject matter in her artwork. She has also been an active member with The Horticultural Society in Watford as well as a member in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Brenda has a connection to such Artists as August Renoir, Claude Monet and Bob Ross as the beauty of nature is found in most of their work as well. She enjoys bright vibrant colours and enjoys using them in her work.
You can find Brenda’s works on her social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, ‘X’(formally Twitter) and Pinterest, her works were once under BJWV Paintings but have since been changed to Paintings by Brenda W. Nelson.
