Inspired Art: A Modern Approach to Art Expression
Renu Bourne is a Toronto-based acrylic painter whose work explores the relationship between fabric, memory, and landscape. Born in England to Indian parents, she moved to Canada as a teenager and earned a Fine Arts degree from the University of Toronto. Although life led her in another direction, she returned to art during the pandemic through charcoal sketches of family pets.
After her mother’s passing in June 2023, art became a source of healing. Passing her mother’s sarees down to her daughter marked a turning point in her practice. The intricate prints and embroidery awakened powerful memories and reignited her passion for acrylic painting.
Inspired by the textures and traditions of crochet and knit, Renu now creates warm, blanket-like landscapes stitched with layered marks and loose threads. Her work explores how the fabrics we encounter in life shape our emotions and memories, and how both our thoughts and our surroundings gently unravel with time while still enveloping us in warmth.
Artist Statement
In my Woven Landscape series, I reimagine landscapes as knitted and woven scenes using acrylic paint and textile inspired marks. Inspired by my mother’s sarees and rooted in memories of family life, these works treat landscape as something lived in and carried forward. The knitted stitches are influenced by watching my daughter crochet. Through repetition, marks, and visible threads, my scenes become visual blankets, offering warmth, care, and a sense of belonging.
CV: Exhibitions and Achievements
Art Competition: Contemporary Art Gallery Online, All Botanical Theme Competition, 1st place for “A Walk Through the Trees”, July 19 to Aug 15
Art Competition: Fusion Art, 9th Annual Leaves and Petals Art Exhibition, Exhibition Finalist with “White Petals”, September 2023
Juried Art Show: ArtWrx Square foot show 2023 November 17-19, online November 17 to December 17, 2023
Juried Art Show: SixbySix show by THIS gallery, March 16 to 23, 2024
Juried Art Show: Mastrius show “Flourish”, online May 1 to 15, 2024
Juried Art Show: Pelham Art Festival, May 10 to 12, Online May 1 to 31, 2024
Juried Art Show: ArtWalk in the Square, September 13 to 15 2024, winner of the Peoples Choice Artist award
Craft Show: One of a kind, November 21 to December 1, 2024
Juried Art Show: Riverdale Artwalk, June 1 and 2, 2025
Private Art Showing: Omers Wellness Center, June 17 to July 31, 2025
Juried Art Show: Artwalk in the Square, Sept 12-14, 2025
Artwalk Showcase: presented by Leslie Grove Gallery, Sept 12 to October 15, 2025 for “Ache”
Juried Art Show: Holiday Small in Person and online at the Leslie Grove Gallery November 26 to January 4, 2025
Juried Art Show: Leslie Grove Gallery, Think Pink, January 7-25, 2026 in person and online for “Desire”
