Art appreciation classes now online!
About artist
Biography
Lalita discovered her artistic abilities as a young adult during the final year of her Philosophy degree. Subsequent years of drawing led to four years of study at the Vancouver Academy of Art, where she received instruction by classically trained painters.
It was not until her husband was seriously injured in a car accident in 2003 that Lalita decided it was time to pursue her life's work through painting. She left her career as an aquatics manager to become a visual artist and the sole provider for her husband and their young child, Sam.
Over the past five years Lalita reduced her creating time to focus on her family and teaching art. However, she is eagerly digging back into her artistic life's work: the creating, presenting and analysis of visual art.
Lalita lives with her husband and three children near Vancouver, BC. She is an amateur musician and writer, and has a variety of personal interests, some of which influence her work. Such interests include travel, virtual reality, psychology, jogging, Reiki, meditation, reading, spiral dynamics, playing piano, swimming, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Lalita is currently inspired by Alain de Botton (philosopher), Brene Brown (research prof), Carl Jung (psychiatrist), Daniel Goleman (psychologist), and many living visual artists such as Cesar Santos, Banksy, Jenny Saville, George Condo, & Marina Abramovic.
Lalita discussing her painting "Plato's Cave" at exhibition in Guiyang, China. Photo by Ted Nodwell
Primary Products & Services
Art Appreciation
Art Appreciation
Art Appreciation
Visual art, whether it be painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, conceptual, graphic design, interior design, and so on, serves a fundamental purpose: to help us become better versions of ourselves.
Art can help us:
- Identify what is important to us but hard to put into words
- Remind us that the world is a beautiful place
- Show us what
Visual art, whether it be painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, conceptual, graphic design, interior design, and so on, serves a fundamental purpose: to help us become better versions of ourselves.
Art can help us:
- Identify what is important to us but hard to put into words
- Remind us that the world is a beautiful place
- Show us what we need to re-balance
- Sit with discomfort, and grow
- Forgive ourselves for falling short
- Connect with our heart / spirit
- Sit with emotions and feel without story
- Provide beauty, joy and hope
- Express who we are
- Remind us to be present
- Appreciate what is
- Connect with ourselves
- Connect with others
- Remind us we are not as alone as we may feel
- Remember what matters
- Appreciate the 'ordinary'
- See something in a new way
- Question our beliefs and judgments
- Experience childlike curiosity
- Understand our own preferences
Lalita is creating a series of videos to help collectors, art appreciators, and artists develop their art assessment skills. Art appreciation becomes a balance between trusting your own interpretation, experience, and feelings, while understanding how to recognize a quality piece of artwork.
To help people practice, Lalita will be providing a series of instructional videos and online art assessment workshops.
Ensure you receive updates by:
- Subscribing to Lalita's YouTube channel (icon below)
- Bookmarking the "Videos" or "Workshops" page of this site
- Sign up for Lalita's newsletter (below)
Paintings
Art Appreciation
Art Appreciation
Lalita has separated her oil & acrylic paintings into two main styles, 'Classical' and 'Jazz'. The former is more traditional, with a tendency toward neutral colours and a soft, blended look, whereas the 'Jazz' paintings tend to have more intense colour, texture and/or expressive brushwork.
Available paintings are listed on a downloadable
Lalita has separated her oil & acrylic paintings into two main styles, 'Classical' and 'Jazz'. The former is more traditional, with a tendency toward neutral colours and a soft, blended look, whereas the 'Jazz' paintings tend to have more intense colour, texture and/or expressive brushwork.
Available paintings are listed on a downloadable Price List on the Portfolio page. Please contact the artist for further info.
A new project is in the works!
"The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls." – Edgar Allan Poe
Encouraged by her own continued journey, Lalita is taking first steps toward being publicly vulnerable by sharing personal experiences through art and writing. In so doing, she hopes to inspire others to expose, address, accept and release the 'ugly' and 'dark' parts of their personalities in order to turn their suffering into thriving.
Instruction & Demos
Instruction & Demos
Instruction & Demos
Lalita has over thirty years of instruction and coaching experience, and teaches a wide variety of courses for artists, teachers, and art appreciators.
Lalita's contemporary atelier program in Langley, where Lalita teaches 24 students per week, became the framework for the 10-week Foundations Program at the Federation of Canadian Artists.
Lalita has over thirty years of instruction and coaching experience, and teaches a wide variety of courses for artists, teachers, and art appreciators.
Lalita's contemporary atelier program in Langley, where Lalita teaches 24 students per week, became the framework for the 10-week Foundations Program at the Federation of Canadian Artists.
While most courses are taught in person through art organizations and Lalita's studio, the recent pandemic has opened the online learning opportunities. To begin, Lalita is providing online art assessment and feedback sessions through Zoom.
For those who would rather learn on their own, Lalita is filming a series of signature instructional videos. These drawing, painting & art assessment videos will be available for free or for purchase from this website on the 'Videos' page and on YouTube.
Sign up for the artist's newsletter below if you would like to know what's coming up.
Virtual Reality
Instruction & Demos
Instruction & Demos
New venture!
Lalita is working in Tilt Brush and Quill to create virtual works of art, art galleries, and meaningful virtual experiences. She is collaborating with other artists, programmers, poets, writers, musicians, psychologists, meditators, photographers, and anyone who is great to work with!
This is Lalita's 'play time'. If you want
New venture!
Lalita is working in Tilt Brush and Quill to create virtual works of art, art galleries, and meaningful virtual experiences. She is collaborating with other artists, programmers, poets, writers, musicians, psychologists, meditators, photographers, and anyone who is great to work with!
This is Lalita's 'play time'. If you want to contribute to a project, and want to have fun & explore, please contact Lalita to discuss possible collaboration opportunities.
Further Products & Services
Public Speaking
Public Speaking
Public Speaking
Lalita specializes in presentations about art education, creativity, and how to 'read' and appreciate paintings. Please contact the artist to determine how she can best suit the needs of your company, organization, or group.
Private lessons
Public Speaking
Public Speaking
A limited number of private lessons, which include art instruction, feedback, and/or mentorship are available at a cost of $90 /hr CAD for one artist and $130/hr CAD for two. These can be done online or in person.
Commissions
Public Speaking
Commissions
Lalita specializes in oil portrait commissions, which begin at $1,600. Please contact the artist directly if interested.
Murals
Collaborations
Commissions
- Burnaby Hospital (lead designer of mosaic painting)
- Vancouver Childrens' Hospital - 65 Red Roses
- Windsong - Dr. Suess mural
- Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd
Collaborations
Collaborations
Collaborations
Lalita enjoys collaborating, especially on projects that are educational, cross-cultural, academic, exploratory, and/or interdisciplinary.
Watercolours
Collaborations
Collaborations
Lalita's watercolour paintings have been made into animations, logos and architectural renderings. Despite her proficiency at using and teaching this medium, Lalita is currently focusing on drawings, oils and acrylics.