Eighteen works from my Optimism of Colour series (including Acrobatics shown above) are on exhibit throughout December at the Synonym Café on James St. N. in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Optimism of Colour is a celebration of resilience, renewal, and the sheer joy of being alive. This series embodies the optimism that fuels my creative journey. Each piece is a testament to colour’s power to uplift, to heal, and to spark delight. These paintings bring a smile to my face every time I see them. My hope is that they offer viewers the same sense of joy, vitality, and possibility, an invitation to witness optimism made visible.
Newest Painting
Song of Joy – A Celebration in Colour that Sings
Part of my Optimism of Colour series, Song of Joy (acrylic & oil on unstretched canvas, 60×65”) embodies exuberance and uplift. Its swirling forms and radiant palette evoke musical improvisation, a visual chorus celebrating play and the transformative power of colour. Song of Joy is a reminder that even in challenging times, colour can sing us back to hope.
New Textile Art
Cutaways I & II – Celebrating the Beauty of What’s Left Behind
My new textile art series, Cutaways, transforms salvaged scraps from garment-making into abstract textile collages, each piece a meditation on incompleteness and intuitive composition. Set against satin backdrops, these embroidered velvet offcuts revel in the tactile poetry of bricolage: spontaneous juxtapositions, layered textures, and the serendipity of assembly. Like collage, they defy linear storytelling, inviting multiplicity, mystery, and the quiet power of what was never meant to be whole.
New Paintings
Whispers of the Muse: Listening to the Studio’s Voice
Every painting begins with a pause, a moment when the studio itself seems to breathe. Whispers of the Muse (18X24”) emerged from that pause, a meditation in oil pastel where shapes overlap like thoughts, and colours shift like emotions. The vertical composition feels like a pathway, a gentle ascent toward clarity.
For me, the muse is not a loud presence but a subtle one. It arrives in whispers, in the quiet insistence of a line, in the harmony between warm and cool tones. This piece is a reminder that inspiration often comes softly, asking us to listen with patience and openness.
In this work, interwoven curves and angular forms create a dialogue between stillness and movement. Warm reds and pinks meet cool blues and purples, guiding the eye through a vertical flow that suggests presence, reflection, and inspiration. The title evokes the quiet yet persistent voice of creativity, a muse that speaks in colour, form, and silence. $650
Elemental Rift
Rooted in the primal clash of natural forces, Elemental Rift is a 24×30” abstract acrylic painting that channels the raw energy of a world in flux. Earth shifts. Power surges. Chaos and beauty collide in a visceral dance, an ode to nature’s untamed spirit. $1100
Love Song
Swirling with passion and harmony, Love Song is a dance of colour, form, and emotion. The intertwining red figures evoke connection and intimacy, while the soft, sensuous embrace of oil pastels invites contemplation and reflection. This 18” x 24” oil pastel painting captures the fluid rhythm of meditation and artistic intuition, a visual melody composed in shades of warmth and movement. $650
Two Paintings Juried Into McMaster Innovation Park’s Art in the Workplace Exhibition on view until February 25, 2026
Fragments of A Dream Untold
Influenced by the spiritual resonance of Mark Rothko’s work and the expressive technique of monoprints, Fragments of A Dream Untold is a layered exploration of colour, form, and mystery. Measuring 30” x 24”, this collage-painting weaves together warmth and contrast, depth and translucency, inviting viewers into a dreamscape where untold stories emerge through texture and composition. $1100
High Spirits
Infused with bold colour and dynamic texture, High Spirits is a celebration of creativity, optimism, and new beginnings. Created with oil paint and mixed media, this 30” x 24” piece embodies my philosophy of optimism through colour while marking the joy of working in my wonderful new studio. The interplay of hues and forms reflects the uplifting energy that fuels my artistic journey, inviting viewers to experience the movement and emotion within the canvas. $1100
New Photo Art Portfolio
An Invitation to Journey Through the Lens
My newest photo art portfolio gathers more than fifty vistas from seven passages aboard The Canadian, one of the world’s most iconic trains. Railroad Reflections invites viewers into a contemplative journey across rugged mountains, vast prairies, and the dense treed landscape of Northern Ontario. Each photo is a meditation on movement, memory, and the beauty of stillness in motion.
The images taken from the train’s panoramic windows capture fleeting light, layered landscapes, and the quiet intimacy of travel. More than a collection of photographs, Railroad Reflections is a love letter to Canada’s geography and the timeless rhythm of rail. It is also a reminder of the optimism found in colour, light, and shared journeys.
Perfect for lovers of photography, train travel, and Canadian scenery, this book is a tactile keepsake for anyone who’s ever longed to watch the world roll by.
Railroad Reflections: Views from The Canadian is available now as a keepsake, print-on-demand photo book on Amazon $14.99 & eBook $4.99
Linda Joyce Ott 