Step into a vivid world where colour and texture merge, guided by the creative partnership of artists Renee Lortie and Michele Macdonald. “COLOUR FIELDS” presents an immersive collection of woven tapestries, ceramic sculptures, functional textiles, and ceramics—each piece a testament to the artists’ devotion to craft, material, and innovation.

The Exhibition

This show is a celebration of tumbling textures and rich, saturated hues. Lortie and Macdonald have designed custom colour palettes, blending vibrant wool dyes with ceramic stains to heighten the tactile and visual impact of their work. The result is a tapestry of abstract forms that, while rooted in the natural world, transcend the ordinary through bold experimentation and careful attention to detail. Whether through the luster of glazed clay or the softness of hand-dyed wool, each piece entices the senses and invites reflection on the interplay between nature, material, and the artist’s touch.

About the Artists

Renee Lortie

A leading voice in contemporary textile art, Renee Lortie works at the crossroads of art, craft, and design. Her intention is to create not just objects, but experiences—visual, tactile, and emotional. Through her thoughtful weaving and stitching, she imbues her pieces with narrative and presence, using texture and colour as her primary language.

Employing age-old techniques such as weaving and punch needle rug making, Lortie forges a path that bridges tradition and innovation. She embraces natural fibres, often hand dyeing and spinning them to suit each composition. Her work is both contemporary and functional, challenging the conventions of textile art with a freshness and depth that resonates. Now based in South Bay, Prince Edward County, Lortie’s textiles find homes in private collections across Canada and the United States, a testament to her growing influence and timeless artistry.

Michele Macdonald

From the earliest days in a vibrant high school arts program, through the halls of the Ontario College of Art & Design, Michele Macdonald’s journey has been one of constant curiosity and evolution. Her path led her through a rich spectrum of creative pursuits: painter, colourizer for film, furniture designer, prop builder, sculptor, woodworker, graphic designer, and ultimately back to painter. Each chapter deepened her understanding of materials and form.

It was in 2010, at Gladstone Clayworks, that Macdonald’s creative threads coalesced in the medium of clay. Here, she discovered the boundless possibilities of ceramics, propelled by a passion for exploring the chemistry of glaze and its relationship with form. Her ever-expanding knowledge and bold experimentation with colour is evident in the breadth and originality of her ceramic work. Macdonald’s pieces are marked by a fearless use of glaze and a profound sensitivity to shape, surface, and the emotional resonance of colour.

Conclusion

“COLOUR FIELDS” offers a unique convergence of tactile tradition and expressive innovation. Through Lortie’s masterful textiles and Macdonald’s alchemical ceramics, viewers are invited to explore the deep connections between material, process, and artistry. This exhibition is not just a display of objects, but a celebration of creativity’s capacity to transform the familiar into something truly extraordinary.