Sylvie Peltier, Canadian Contemporary Artist
Artist Statement
Inspired by David Hockney, David T. Alexander and Wolf Kahn, Canadian painter Esspé explores imperfection and mixes styles.
She usually starts with a theme or canvas size, then follows a haphazard creative process. She uses a variety of techniques and materials, including her own photographs as inspiration to reinterpret her natural landscapes. She favors bright colors, such as pink, purple and blue. She sometimes starts with a black chalked background to create a stained-glass effect, or superimposes layers of transparent colors on abstract paintings.
Her works, designed to evoke positive emotions such as surprise and wonder, are also printed on clothing, stationery and home decor.
Bio
Canadian painter Sylvie Peltier grew up in the province of Quebec. At the age of 13, she discovered a poster inviting her to “Learn English in Vancouver.” Amazed by the ocean and mountains depicted, she decided then that she would live in British Columbia as an adult.
After studying agricultural economics (McGill, Montreal) and environmental economics (Dalhousie, Halifax), she went on to study film and television (UBC, Vancouver). In 1996, she founded Red Letter Films, a television documentary production company which she still operates with her husband.
With a lifelong passion for art and design, she began to post her drawings on social media and started painting classes in 2014. She participated in her first group and solo exhibitions in 2018. She also organized an art studio tour in her community in 2021 and 2022, the South Rock Art Tour.
In 2023, she moved to Qualicum Beach, on Vancouver Island. It was on this unceded traditional territory of the Qualicum First Nation that she finally devoted herself to her life as an artist. She offers painting classes in her waterfront studio and welcomes the public by appointment.
An active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists since 2021, she participates in local art events from Comox to Nanaimo. She is a member of local artists' groups, with whom she regularly participates in exhibitions. She is also planning two solo exhibitions: one at the McMillan Arts Centre, in May 2025, and the other at The Old School House Arts Centre (TOSH), in January 2026.
Sylvie Peltier has lived in British Columbia for over 30 years, and has been wielding her brush for the past 10 years under the artist name Esspé, the phonetic expression of the initials of her name. Her joyful, abstract works are inspired by the natural world around her.
To inquire about my work or book a studio visit, contact me at esspe (at) sylviepeltier.com
Solo shows
2026 - What Would Hockney Do? The Old School House Arts Centre - TOSH (January)
2025 - McMillan Arts Centre (May)
2024 - Beach Resort Club (October)
2022 - Life Aquatika, White Rock Library (October and November)
2021 - Aquatika, Centre Culturel Francophone, Vancouver (March 11-April 22)
2018 - Artist of the month, The Gallery, White Rock
Group shows
2024 - Fresh Paint by the Arts Buddies Collective, McMillan Arts Centre, Parksville
2024 - (juried) 19A Arts Festival and Studio Tour, in Esspé Studio, Qualicum Beach
2024 - DeCosmos Fine Arts Society Art Exhibition, McMillan Arts Centre, Parksville
2024 - (juried) FCA Chapter Challenge, Online
2024 - Central Island Studio Tour, in Esspé Studio, Qualicum Beach
2024 - (juried) Arrowsmith FCA Spring Show, TOSH, Qualicum Beach
2024 - (juried) Annual International Representational Exhibition, Online
2024 - (juried) Artists’ Choice Exhibition, Federation Gallery (online), Vancouver
2023 - (juried) Polarities and Junctions, Comox Airport
2023 - (juried) Arrowsmith FCA Fall Exhibition, TOSH, Qualicum Beach
2023 - (juried) Nanaimo FCA Fine Art Show, Vancouver Island Conference Centre
2023 - (juried) Shape & Form Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2023 - (juried) Artists’ Choice Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - (juried) Limitless Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - South Rock Art Tour, South Surrey and White Rock
2022 - (juried) Water Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - (juried) Abstracted Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - (juried) Vancouver Salon, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - (juried) Shape & Form Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2022 - (juried) Active Member Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2021 - (juried) 80th Anniversary Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2021 - (juried) NOW Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2021 - (juried) Annual International Representational Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2020 - SSWRAS Art Show & Sale, Landmark Pop-Uptown Gallery, White Rock
2020 - (juried) Ten-Squared Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2020 - (juried) Social Distancing Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2019 - Peninsula Art Tour, South Surrey and White Rock
2019 - (juried) Annual International Mail-In Art Exhibition, Federation Gallery, Vancouver
2019 - (juried) artSpacific, Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre, Aldergrove
2019 - 60th Anniversary Gala Art Show & Sale, South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre
2019 - Spring Art Show & Sale, Turnbull Gallery, Surrey
2019 - Art & Chocolate, Turnbull Gallery, Surrey
2018 - Art at Blue Cottage, White Rock
2018 - (juried) Herstory, White Rock Community Center
2018 - Peninsula Art Tour, South Surrey and White Rock
2018 - West Coast Reflections, South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre
