MEET THE ARTIST

Siobhan Arnott is a visual artist living in Ottawa, Canada. She is a graduate of the Ottawa School of Art (OSA) and spends a month in the summer studying at the Florence Academy of Art. Her artworks are deeply personal and explore family narratives, travel and adventure, mental health, and the strength of the human spirit with just a touch of whimsy along the way. 

Raised in both Scotland and Canada, Siobhan’s artworks reflect the artistic influence of her mother, printmaker Christine Ross, who won national and international accolades after graduating from the Glasgow School of Art and that of her father. His tales of emigrating to Canada to work with the Hudson’s Bay Company alongside the Cree, led Siobhan to pursue a long professional career working in environmental policy and Indigenous relations.

Siobhan’s passion is printmaking. Her artworks find their genesis in family memories, stories, or photographs; her own lived experiences, especially in the outdoors; and, in the extraordinary of the everyday; the patterns made by bark beetles on a tree, or by the rusting of a dumpster. She captures images in both her sketchbook or with camera whether exploring her own city,; going backcountry camping or canoeing in Canada’s wilderness; or, travelling to see the temples of Cambodia or the museums of Europe.

Creating a new body of work for Siobhan is an evolutionary and iterative process. She collects ideas over time, often sketching or writing about them in an art journal. When one captures her imagination, she conducts background research on techniques, processes, and delves into art history, poetry, philosophy, inspirational works of other artists, and even the dictionary to find ways to bring a new concept to life. 

CURRICULUM VITAE

EDUCATION

2023-24 Figure Drawing, the Academic Method, Florence Academy of Art (FAA), Florence, ON.

2022 Fine Arts Diploma, Major in Printmaking, Ottawa School of Art (OSA), Ottawa, ON.

2016-23 OSA Courses in Printmaking, Drawing, Sculpture and Painting, Ottawa, ON.

1992 MA, Regional Planning and Resource Development, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

1988 BES, Honors Geography Co-Operative Program, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

WORK AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

2024 Contributor, Ottawa-Gatineau Printmaker’s Connective (OGPC), Newsletter and Coordinator, Social Media.

2019 Design and coordination of ‘Artistic Resilience: Live Music and Art Sale,’ Fundraiser for Family Services Ottawa, Orange Art Gallery, Ottawa, ON, June 20.

2016 Curated ‘Artistic Resilience,’ Art Exhibit, Shenkman Arts Centre, Orleans, ON, May 31.

2015 Design, coordination of, and key speaker at ‘Christine’s Escape, Art Exhibit, La Petit Mort Gallery, Ottawa, ON, August 21 – 27.

1985 - 2017 Management consultant, Indigenous Relations and Environmental Policy with NGO, public and private sectors. 

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

2024 Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) Galerie Annexe

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 ‘Still I Rise,’ Vitrines, OSA, Ottawa, September 4 - 18.

2022 ‘Salt Alchemy,’ Lee Matasi Gallery, OSA, Ottawa, September 7 -September 20.

2022 ‘BED-LAM,’ Lee Matasi Gallery, OSA, Ottawa January – February.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024 West End Studio Tour, Ottawa, Sept. 21 - 22.

2024 ‘Works on Paper,’ Gallery 55, ByWard Market Building, May 2-30.

2024 Spring Exhibition, Galerie Annexe, May - July.

2024 ‘Welcome to the Circus,’ Atomic Rooster, Ottawa, April 9 - May 19.

2023 Annual Holiday Fundraising Art Sale, OSA, Ottawa, Nov. 23 - Dec. 10, 2023.

2023 ‘Picturing the Invisible: Sights/Sites Unseen,’ OGPC, Nepean Creative Arts Centre, November to February 19, 2024.

2023 ‘Print Pairings: Color vs. Black and White,’ Ottawa Gatineau Printmaker’s Connective (OGPC), OSA Orleans Gallery, Shenkman Arts Centre, May 14-Jun 24.

2023 Ninth International Miniature Print Biennale Exhibition, J. W. Stellick Gallery, OSA, March 30 - May 14.

2023 'Colour Changes Everything,’ Ottawa Gatineau Printmaker’s Connective (OGPC), Alta Vista Branch, Ottawa Public Library, Jan. 20 - Mar. 17.

2022 38th Annual Holiday Fundraising Art Sale, OSA, Ottawa, November 17 – December 4.

2022 ‘Eleven,’ Fine Arts Diploma Graduating Class Exhibit, OSA, Ottawa, Opens June 23.

2021 37th Annual Holiday Art Sale and Fundraiser, OSA, Ottawa, November 25-December 12.

2021 Intermediate Printmaking Class Exhibit, Lee Matasi Gallery, OSA, Ottawa, Spring.

2020 OSA 8th International Miniature Print Biennale Exhibition, Downtown Gallery, OSA, April 2 – May 17.

2020 36th Annual Holiday Art Sale and Fundraiser, OSA, Ottawa, November 26-December 30.

2020 SKETCH – 14th Edition Art Sale and Fundraiser,  SAW Annual Fundraiser, SAW Gallery (on-line), Ottawa, December 4.

2020 Intermediate Printmaking Class Exhibit, Lee Matasi Gallery, OSA, Ottawa, Spring.

2020 Big 2: Artworks from the Fine Arts Diploma Students, OSA. Gallery 200, The School of Dance, Ottawa, Canada. January 15 to March 11.

2019 Introductory Printmaking Class Exhibit, Lee Matasi Gallery, OSA, Ottawa, Spring.

MEDIA

2024 ‘Siobhan’s Story,’ April Newsletter, ' West End Studio Tour, April 19.

2023 Uppercase Magazine Newsletter ‘All about You’ article ‘Siobhan Arnott - Printmaker with Purpose.’ December 9.

2022 Podcast Meander with Siobhan Arnott, Meanderings with Trudy Chapman, February 20.

2021 Interview with Britt-Marie Skyes entitled, ‘The Interview. Personal Stories of Meaningful Work,’ Integrative Career Counselling Website, May 12.

2015 Interview with Sandra Abma, ‘Woman sells mother's artwork to raise money for other artists’ CBC News, August 20.

2015 Interview with Stephanie Vicente, ‘Christine’s Escape,’ Herd Magazine, August 21.

AWARDS

2022 Deserres ‘Best in Class’ for artwork ‘Into Wildwood,’ at the OSA Annual Holiday Fundraising Event, November 17.

2022 Leonard Gerbrandt Printmaking Scholarship, OSA, Ottawa, Ontario

2022 Nomination by OSA, BMO 1st Art! 2022 student art competition, Canada

2019 Recipient of Joan Gullen Award by Family Services Ottawa (FSO) for making a significant contribution to the cause of social justice (arts and wellness) in the communities of Ottaw

DONATIONS OF ARTWORKS

2023 Print ‘Into Wildwood’ donated to FSO Music on a Mission Silent Auction in support of Ottawa families.

2022 Print ‘Destination II’ donated to FSO Music on a Mission Silent Auction in support of Ottawa families.

2022 Print ‘Destination’ sold in support of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund for reconciliation.

MEMBERSHIPS

2022-24 Ottawa Gatineau Printmakers Connective, Ottawa, Ontario.