Art
Visually impaired artist with passion for painting spreads message of hope, acceptance
Born visually impaired in Grand-Barachois, a small eastern New Brunswick community on the Northumberland Strait, Ysabelle Vautour connects with herself — and with others — through art.
Now living in Fredericton, Vautour’s disability not only inspired her to pursue a career in visual arts, but it also prompted her to create a safe space for other disabled artists in New Brunswick.
Her visual impairments include colour-blindness, photosensitivity and 20/200 vision.
“So most people they have 20/20 vision and mine’s like 20/200,” she said. “So whatever you see at 200 feet, I have to like go to 20 feet to see the same thing that you’re seeing.
“I never thought that the way I see is bad,” she said. “For me it’s fine. I was always a very creative person in school.”
Vautour said she hopes to use her art to educate people and change their perceptions.
“People ask me questions about the visual impairment because I do visual art … I could have hidden that fact, but I thought it was important because it affects the artwork,” says Vautour.
Featured VideoBy focusing on how the process makes her feel rather than the outcome, artist Ysabelle Vautour connects with herself and others through art.
She first started painting for personal reasons — to make herself feel good and autonomous when she felt her job was no longer providing that. But she soon became more passionate about painting, and challenged herself to further develop her skills.
Although she didn’t attend art school, Vautour said she watched YouTube videos and attended as many art events as she could.
“I’m just really surprised about the amount of opportunities that it’s given me. Like last year I was able to travel all across New Brunswick from festival to festival.” she said.
‘It almost talks back to you’
Vautour’s art is mainly inspired by her love for people and their faces.
“I really like people. The fact that I don’t see very well, I tend to take a lot of pictures, so that I can zoom in and it’s very easy to zoom in on the face,” she said.
“And the face is kind of like a complete thing and it’s the most interesting part, sometimes if I’m feeling an emotion it almost talks back to you.”
Vautour chooses to paint with plain colours in boldly-labelled containers and is more focused on how the painting process makes her feel than its outcome. Other times she asks people to help her identify colours or to give feedback on her initial drawings.
Community building
In 2021 Vautour started the New Brunswick Disability Art Collective. The group now has more than 50 members from across the province who advocate and celebrate disability culture through the arts.
She said the group is made up of photographers, painters, musicians, poets, writers, graphic designers, comedians, writers, textile artists and more.
Painter and group member Cass Maz said meeting Vautour and joining the group is “nice because when you get there you get more purposeful ideas.”
Maz, who uses a wheelchair, said she had a stroke in 2013 that resulted in a number of chronic health conditions including involuntary muscle movement, twitching eyes, high blood pressure, motor speech disorders and numbness on her left side.
She started painting after meeting the instructor of her 26th birthday sip-and-paint party.
“The artist that came showed us some different techniques to make a picture and I was surprised,” she said.
“So I went on the internet like YouTube and was looking for different techniques I could use for painting and I found a bunch and I just kept painting.”
Vautour has now had her art showcased in several Canada cities and had her first solo show at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre in Fredericton.
For her, becoming a visual artist has helped her reconnect with herself. She hopes her art becomes more accessible to everyone and their perception of disability art becomes more accepting.
“It’s kind of like writing in a diary … it feels good,” she said.
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The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”
On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”
The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.
Blaze in the West Wing
The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.
About Somerset House
Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.
Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.
Sudbury’s annual art and music festival is marking a significant milestone this year, celebrating its long-standing impact on the local cultural scene. The festival, which has grown from a small community event to a major celebration of creativity, brings together artists, musicians, and visitors from across the region for a weekend of vibrant performances and exhibitions.
The event features a diverse range of activities, from live music performances to art installations, workshops, and interactive exhibits that highlight both emerging and established talent. This year’s milestone celebration will also honor the festival’s history by showcasing some of the artists and performers who have contributed to its success over the years.
Organizers are excited to see how the festival has evolved, becoming a cornerstone of Sudbury’s cultural landscape. “This festival is a celebration of creativity, community, and the incredible talent we have here in Sudbury,” said one of the event’s coordinators. “It’s amazing to see how it has grown and the impact it continues to have on the arts community.”
With this year’s milestone celebration, the festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a full lineup of exciting events, workshops, and performances that will inspire and engage attendees of all ages.
The festival’s milestone is not just a reflection of its past success but a celebration of the continued vibrancy of Sudbury’s arts scene.
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