Alumni Spotlight: Lois Steen (Drawing & Painting, Class of 1957)

"I am constantly inspired by the natural world and its spirit, which I seek to express in my work. My love of colour and the complexity of organic forms in nature are an increasing source of inspiration. For me, creativity is the celebration of life.”

Lois Steen is an accomplished Canadian artist whose career has spanned over six decades. An avid drawer from the time she was a young girl, Steen was tenacious in her pursuit of art education and graduated from the Ontario College of Art (OCA), now known as OCAD University.

 

Lois Steen, OCA Graduation Portrait, 1957. Courtesy of the artist.

As a student, Steen’s life drawings of dancers at the National Ballet of Canada focused on capturing their gestures and movements. “You get the impression of what you have seen and draw from that. Consequently, the sketch doesn’t seem so stilted,” Steen explained in a 1955 article about her work.

Lois Steen, Ancient Scarab, 1968. Acrylic on paper.

One of Steen's most beloved mentors was Jock Macdonald, whom she first met as a teenager at the Banff School of Arts and was later her instructor at OCA. Influenced by Macdonald and her time in Europe following graduation, Steen explored vibrant, lyrical abstraction and expressive compositions that characterize her work up until this day.

Lois Steen and her work. Courtesy of the artist.

From the 1960s through the 2010s, Steen’s work was exhibited in countless solo and group exhibitions throughout Ontario and her work has been featured in many arts publications. As an OCA alum, she has spent her career creating art and working as an art instructor, sharing her knowledge and passion with others.

Lois Steen continues to live and work in Toronto, Ontario.