Izabella Orzelski

Izabella Orzelski is a Canadian artist residing in Edmonton, Alberta. She holds an MFA from the New York Academy of Art and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Alberta. Her awards and grants include a Winspear Fund Grant and a Dahesh Museum Award in New York. She is a prolific and versatile artist. Her paintings have been exhibited across Canada, and have become part of many public and private art collections. Among her most important commissioned works are the life-size portraits of Dr. Harriet Winspear, the late Honourable Lois E. Hole - former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, and of Dr. Grant MacEwan.

Izabella’s interests span from portrait/ figure to floral compositions. She likes to experiment with various painterly techniques and art mediums such as oils, acrylics and encaustic paints, which she often uses together. Presently, Izabella is completing a series of floral paintings, for which her own garden became a source of inspiration. Her floral paintings reflect her love for colours and texture envisioned in her dreams or, as she likes to call it, her magical world. Some of Izabella’s floral paintings reflect her admiration for the chiaroscuro effect, while others her playful juxtaposition of colours.

Izabella has been an art instructor at the Faculty of Extension of the University of Alberta for the past 20 years. Additionally, she has been invited as a guest speaker to many international conferences. Izabella strongly believes that it is possible to be both: a passionate educator and an excellent artist.