Our Artists

Wendy Matthews (President)

Wendy Matthews

Wendy is a retired school teacher.  After Teachers College she completed Arts and Education degrees. Having taught for 23 years at Harkins Junior High School she moved to North and South Esk Elementary from where she retired in 2000.  Along the way she taught various academic subjects, special education and a few elementary art classes.  She has been painting for over 15 years.  For many years Wendy’s interest in art was an observer.  She enrolled in a tole painting course thinking this was a hobby she might like.  Her interest in tole painting and folk art soon turned to an interest in watercolours.  She and a small group of fellow painters took watercolour lessons from Carla Collette for many years.  With this small and dedicated group, she explored other mediums including oil and chalk pastels and acrylics. During one fall term, Wendy traveled to Fredericton to take an introductory course in watercolours at UNB.  She has also spent several winters taking classes in oils from Robert Stevens.   Most recent works are done in acrylic or watercolour. Wendy paints at the studio she and her husband Terry have built in Whitney.

Cathleen Richards-Green (Past President)

Cathleen Richards Green

I studied Freehand Drawing, Life Drawing, Two Dimensional Design, Printmaking and Art History while living in the United States from 1974 to 1980 attending colleges in California and North Carolina.

I live in Miramichi, NB, drawing inspiration from the simple beauty of the Miramichi River Valley and surrounding areas. It’s a simple landscape, but the river at its center is my mystical muse. Every day is an adventure for the eyes and soul. Sitting to watch the magical light of morning, and late evening never fails to deliver that desire to paint. If I was unable to travel anywhere else to paint, this area would offer endless inspiration. Art isn’t about where you are…but how you see. I’m in love with changing light and the moods it elicits and I hope I’m able to capture just a bit of that in my paintings, many now done on location. I work in many mediums…from graphite, pen & ink, acrylic, watercolor and pastel, but my main love is oils and the landscape.

I’ve been a member of the Miramichi Art Core since its inception

My work has been on exhibit at

• Richie Wharf Gallery in Newcastle, Miramichi NB
• Beaverbrook Art Gallery Fredericton, NB
• Carrefour Beausoleil Gallery in Newcastle, Miramichi
• Water Street Gallery in Chatham, Miramichi

My work is in many private collections in Canada and the US.

Email: info@cathleenrichardsgreen.com

Rick Mullin (Secretary)

Born in Brantford Ontario and we moved to the Miramichi area when I retired in 2011.

Sonja Mahabir (Treasurer – Marketing and Promotion)

Sonja was born and raised in the St. Stephen area where she sketched all her life.  Her father, Ronald Campbell, was an avid painter and drawer.

In 1997, Sonja married a man who was from Miramichi, where they eventually settled and are raising 2 children.

In the last several years she has explored various mediums in art.  Just recently she has become involved in the Miramichi Art Core Association.

Terry Matthews (Website and Promotion)

Terry Matthews

Terry has been painting for over 30 years.  Several years ago Terry opened an art studio in Whitney, NB where he paints and teaches art classes and workshops.

He paints representational art, mostly in oils. However, recent works are in acrylics or mixed media, using acrylics as a staining and oils as the completing medium.  He paints a wide range of subject matter including landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, still life, and anything that captures his interest.  His works are mostly New Brunswick landscapes and wildlife. Terry spends some time painting outside in the weather – “Plein Air”  He was a visiting artist at the Lunenburg, NS “Paint on sea” Plein air session in 2008 and 2009 and had taken part in Plein Air festivals in Bathurst and the Miramichi,
Terry is a member of the Publicity and Promotions Committee of Miramichi Art Core, an association of Miramichi artist interested in promoting fine art in the region.  He also has developed the Association website,  His art has been exhibited at The Ritchie Wharf Gallery, the Artist Kave Gallery, and the Carrefour Beausoleil Gallery.

Linda Gallant 

Linda Gallant

Linda Gallant swore that in her retirement she would do all the things she wanted to do but couldn’t when she was working full time and raising a family. While that is the sentiment of many women, Linda has managed to do just that.  In January 2008, Linda went back to school to audit the life drawing class at NBCC Miramichi with Geordie Millar and you are viewing the result. The classes have given her a new lease on life. She goes out with her digital camera and sketch book, ready to jot down ideas she will work on later in her studio in Neguac.
Linda was born in Montreal. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Sir George Williams University, now Concordia, by attending seven years of night and Summer courses. During that time, she taught in the public school system for the Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal. Quebec’s politics and the language laws that Bill 101 imposed soon restricted the enrollment of immigrant children and Linda could see the writing on the wall. It wouldn’t be long before the English system would be compromised and the choices for an art specialist severely curtailed. So with the full support of her husband, the Gallants moved away from the big city bustle of dual income, regimented day care routines and suburban commutes to a more laid back family centered way of life. In 1985, they settled in a small French (how ironic!) fishing village and have never looked back.
The teaching assignment in Newcastle became the job of a lifetime. For six years, Linda was the District Art Coordinator and taught in ten schools on a regular basis as the itinerant art teacher. When that position was abolished she returned to the classroom teaching art at Miramichi Valley for the last eleven years of her career.

Nancy Grey-Legere

Nancy Grey-Legere

I’m a 32 year old self taught artist, living in Miramichi. I started when I was a teenager.  I would watch Bob Ross on TV all the time and would try to figure out his techniques on doing landscapes. Spent long hours practicing, over and over, to try and get it right.  I’m also a full time paramedic and enjoy this peaceful time, creating beautiful art. Been painting for the last 8 years with oils.

Today I enjoy trying new challenges and paint things i usually wouldn’t.  I paint landscapes, animals and native art. I have a face-book page called ‘Oiled creations by Nancy GL’ where I put all my paintings up for people to see and share.

I enjoy seeing other artists and the different types of mediums they use. Everyone is unique and that makes it special. Painting is my passion!

Gloria Savoie

Creativity inspires and motivates us to personally interact with the extraordinary beauty in our midst, our incredibly awe-inspiring phenomenal world, captivating Mother Nature in her finest moments, uplifting us to become our own best selves, moving us toward spiritual transformation and enabling humankind to fulfill our yet untapped, truly extraordinary potential and achieve humanity’s authentic divine destiny of a peaceful, loving, harmonious co-existence based on mutual sharing and compassion for all. Artistic expression is a foundation for personal development and a means for a virtuous response to creation, as well as a classic vehicle to promote the oneness of humanity through cultural sharing of our diverse creative capacities. Attention and concern for the present moment is the place of our utmost power.

I am a founding member and former Secretary of Miramichi Art Core, working in a variety of mediums, including pencil sketching, painting, and digital art, children’s book illustration, poster and set design, commissioned work, portraiture, photography, sign making, fashion design, writing, and wood etching being a favorite, as it seems so fitting since the wood industry involving the early historic timber and tall ships, helped to develop the Miramichi River Townships. Of course our First Nations peoples called this new world home first and generously assisted the early newly arriving settlers, the French, English, Scottish and Irish to survive the harsh winters. Immigrants seeking refuge from religious and ethnic persecution, war, famine, fires and floods continue to be welcomed to our beautiful Miramichi river valley and the rest of our Canadian Provinces and Territories.

My artistic work is very much influenced by my interest in the diverse cultures of the world, especially the indigenous peoples, whose cultural traditions are so artistically rich, and their wealth of experience and regard for the environment, as stewards of mother earth, can teach us a lot about alleviating the growing threat of climate change. Red Bank has recently been named a World Heritage Site, as the longest continually inhabited First Nations land in Canada. The discovery of the Augustine Mound has led to many relics being returned to their proper resting place in a climate controlled Museum at the Red Bank Migma World Heritage Site. I graduated on the Dean’s List from the Art Fundamentals Course at NBCC Miramichi after taking private art classes for years previously. I previously took courses at the New Brunswick Craft School in Fredericton and I have continued with classes and workshops to develop my craft.

I have experience teaching children’s classes at my art studio, Miramichi Youth House and Miramichi Youth Centre, and as Artist in Residence for Harkins Elementary School and Eel Ground First Nations School. A recent exhibition at the Yellow Box Gallery, St. Thomas University featured works in the etched wood medium created for illustrating a biographical children’s book for Dr. Will van den Hoonaard about the early life of The Bab, which is now available at Amozon.com; in keeping with my interest in creating artwork that informs us of historically significant stories is my participation in joint project between Miramichi Art Core and Bathurst Art Society, Art Tells Stories, You can check out our Web site miramichiartcore.ca

I was Miramichi Artist in Residence for Department of Tourism in 1918, at which h time I worked on a project sponsored by Words on Water Miramichi and funded by the NB Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture as part of the Miramichi Literary Trail. I have again been commissioned by the Words on Water Writers group in 2021, much thanks to them and gratitude to the New Brunswick Arts Board.. The project was aimed at raising awareness of the arts in the area, engaging the public and challenging me as an artist to explore new approaches to my art, working in the wood etching medium with colour using different pigments, inks dyes and paint, in response to work of well-known Miramichi Writers. I worked with quotes from Miramichi writers, then thought of a design based on their words. After many draft sketches, a draft composition, along with excerpts of poetry or stories, was finalized and transferred to wood in preparation for etching. Once done, colour was added. The final steps were to add a protective coating. The designs will feed into Miramichi’s proposed Literary Trail and are being displayed at the Newcastle Public Library and other sites chosen by the Miramichi Town Council.

Jayashree Rai

Jayshree Rai

Jayashree  who is originally from India  is a graduate of science and Fine Arts  . However  her true  vocation has always  been  towards the Arts; for which she has born an interest from an early age .  In 1966 she won the State Gold Medal Award in Fine Arts, and continued  to pursue her passion under the guidance of expert  art teachers in India. Jayashree has also  won  many open art competitions in various  exhibitions in her city Mangalore India. It was around this same time that she also began teaching Art.

After her marriage , Jayashree has lived in England for five years, and Germany for Eight .  During this time  she continued to develop her interest in Art by studying various media. Her perseverance and constant studies in the development of the local environment brought in contact with many other fine artist in both countries and she continued to exhibit her paintings in numerous private galleries with wonderful success.

In 1985 Jayashree moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband and two daughters. Jayshree again continued her passion for Art as well as art as a  profession with full swing. Taking part in  several group shows and  “solo”  exhibition she displayed  her works in several private art galleries in Riyadh The Capital. In Riyadh  She worked as a Art teacher in  prestigious Art institution  , also was a private Art instructor to local students , and remained very active as a freelance Artist .  In  1992 , one of Jayashree’s  Artworks , The” Falconer”  was selected as a UNICEF  greeting card.

Jayshree works with all mediums and enjoys experimenting with  many different techniques, however she has penchant for watercolour, and through her subtle and free flowing style. she has been able to capture the mood of her subjects with great success. Her keen observation and admiration for the local life style and traditions of Riyadh  have allowed her to create many of her Arabic masterpieces.  In Riyadh her paintings were become treasured  collections with in the kingdom as well as internationally.

In 2007 Jayshree moved to Miramichi New Brunswick Canada, . After moving from country to country Jayashree  tells ” when I land in a new land the very first thing I do is collect all the information about Art and artist of that land. Then I meet them,take part with their activities and   gather information,  and from there I move on “,   That is exactly what Jayshree has done in Miramichi.  Today she is the member of Art core Miramichi,  She has her artist friends she can paint with and her  passion that never failed. She takes part in the local art activities, gallery shows and is reasonably successful with her artwork locally and internationally too.

Kathy Jardine of Vintage River Art

I am a local mixed media artist who draws inspiration from the stories, songs, and family culture of the Maritimes. I look for beauty in the ordinary.

In 2014, I began creating miniature fishing villages from driftwood. In that gray, weathered wood that litters our shores I began to “see” old sheds, fishing shacks, wharfs, boats, and lobster traps. Stored in my memory were coastal snapshots of my childhood years on the Acadian Peninsula and later, the shores of the Miramichi. My desire was to recapture the rustic character and beauty of those long-forgotten places. To date, I have made and sold over one hundred pieces. Each piece is a labour of love and a small tribute to the hardworking people of our rural communities.

I also enjoy painting abstract nature scenes in acrylics. My background in horticulture and landscaping have always influenced my love of the wild side of the Maritimes and the “ordered” one of the home garden.

Judy Rogers

Personal Profile
Judy Rogers lives on Miramichi Bay. She attended the N.B school of Craft and Design and enjoys making Driftwood art ,quilting,gardening and watercolour painting.

I have had a lifelong interest and involvement with craft and design. I attended the New Brunswick School of Craft and Design in 1972-73. I was a full time craftsperson for many years, first as a stained glass artist and then 15 years designing and producing dough ornaments through my “Dough Creations” business.

I have always been particularly interested in the design process and enjoy expressing my creativity in a variety of mediums. I have also worked with fabric all my life and enjoy creating original quilts and mixed fabric art pieces.

I have taken a few painting courses over the years and now paint regularly with water colours.

The creative potential of driftwood is the latest idea to capture my attention which has led me to what I call my “Drifters”. I am drawn by the natural beauty and amazingly diverse variety of driftwood and other flotsum which washes up on our shores.
I keep the materials I use as natural and untreated as possible to maintain the shaping and beauty wrought by mother nature
herself.