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Sheena Graham’s neighbour in Gananoque inspired her to start painting almost two decades ago. Sheena would wander over to Heather’s studio for a chat and watch her paint. She admired Heather’s work and one day said: “I wish I could do something like this.”

Heather immediately responded: “You can. Set up a vase of flowers and just paint what you see.”

After some hesitancy, Sheena started painting at home, gathering as many tricks and tips from her neighbour, already an accomplished artist.

“Heather has been a huge inspiration and mentor to me,” says Sheena, who works as administrative assistant to Caroline Davis, Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration).  “I never imagined I could do something like this, but when I began painting, I realized that once I jump out of my comfort zone, many things are possible. You can do a lot more than you think you can.”

Sheena has since painted hundreds of pieces and has held shows of her work at various locations in Kingston and Gananoque. She currently has works on display at the Wellington Street Art Gallery in Toronto.

Mostly painting in acrylics, Sheena has taken a few courses but prefers to teach herself and learn from anyone who inspires her. Much of her work is figurative – flowers, fruit and animals, often with whimsical and quirky flourishes – but in recent years, she has veered into the abstract, and deeper into her love of colour and texture.

“People see so many different things in my abstract work, and I love that. There are so many interpretations,” says Sheena, who uses all sorts of tools and substances – knives, forks, wall putty – to build depth in her work.

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Sheena began working at Queen’s in 1997 in the Office of the Vice-Principal (Advancement). She later moved into Richardson Hall for a position with Diane Kelly, former legal counsel for the university, before taking her current role with Ms. Davis. She now provides administrative support for Ms. Davis, as well as Kim Murphy, Director, Risk Management, and others in the office.

With her paintings lining the walls in the VP suite, and several in and around her cubicle, Sheena has received much support and encouragement from Queen’s staff members, something she’s very grateful for and believes has helped her gain confidence in her work.

“I’ve been told that having one of my paintings in an office can change the atmosphere of certain meetings, for the better,” says Sheena, who generally looks to create uplifting artworks, pieces that evoke a feeling of happiness. “Having so many of my paintings around my desk encourages conversation … sort of acts as an ice-breaker,  puts people at ease, and I believe makes our office more welcoming and approachable.”

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A mother of three boys, Sheena says, sometimes, it’s her insomnia at night that allows her plenty of time to paint, even with a full-time job. “Painting makes me feel alive. I never feel tired. It’s almost like something takes over,” she says.

During the evenings, too, Sheena can lose herself in a painting for long stretches of time. Often, her youngest son, 11-year-old Noah, will come into the studio with her, and they will paint for many hours. Sometimes it’s Noah who stops to ask if, perhaps, they should go to bed.

To see more of Sheena’s paintings, please contact Sheena directly at sgraham522@outlook.com.