Art by Alexandra features recent paintings by Barrie-based artist Alexandra Gronfors. On September 18, 2020, at the age of 29, Gronfors was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, just a few days after starting her new career as a teacher. In an instant the trajectory of her life shifted, but with a drive to remain independent and positive she focused her energy into developing her artmaking practice.
Set against the backdrop of COVID-19 and cancer, Art by Alexandra includes select paintings from her recent year of artistic production. Reflecting on her time in the studio, Gronfors states that “the wonderful thing about art is you can start with a blank canvas and within a few hours or a day, you have created something new and beautiful. It felt so positive, productive, and motivating to create during a dark time.”
Individually, each work foregrounds colour and texture in its own way to convey joy. Collectively, the works speak to art as a vehicle for healing, and the ways in which we move forward when life is turned upside down.
Alexandra Gronfors is a Barrie-based artist, entrepreneur and teacher. Her work has been donated in support of the Rotaract Club of Barrie, Furry Friends, and COPE Service Dogs. In 2020, Gronfors won Barrie Advance Reader’s Choice Awards for favourite local artist, favourite visual artist, and favourite painter. In April 2021, she was commissioned to create a mural for Redline Brewery in Barrie.
