Modern Art That Will Endure
Welcome to my Gallery!
Paula Des jardins
One of my earliest childhood memories is drawing a mural underneath my parent’s dining room table. As a four year old, I remember the excitement I felt holding those crayons, locked into a world of my own creation. Today I have that same feeling as I take a brush to canvas and step into that world.
I received both formal training (BFA) and “world” training as an avid traveler (52 countries and still on the go!), highlighted by two years each in Tokyo, Hong Kong and London. Japan, in particular, had a tremendous impact on my work- it opened up a whole new world in terms of color, perspective and subject matter. This experience together with my travels is what inspires my work: the rooted trees of Angor Wat, the labyrinth of streets in Florence, open skies in Costa Rica and the geothermal pools in New Zealand. The Japanese kimono with its pattern on pattern is a subject that continues to. fascinate me. I explore contemporary abstract expressionism that ranges from peaceful retreats to emotionally charged descriptives of my inner voice.
My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.

Inspiration
The strength of the human spirit and its ability to rise against adversity is a constant inspiration. I search for it everywhere- in history, music, and literature. I find it in the lives of those around me - in day to day human encounters and as I travel through some incredible countries. Since I tend to focus on the positive I try to translate that feeling into my work. As I remember a beautiful sky from my travels it becomes not just a painting of a sky but it is also a symbol of hope.
The pure love of color, texture and light drives my passion and enables me to incorporate these concepts to create something that has never existed before.
Techniques
I use a variety of techniques including oil painting on canvas, monoprints, collage, silkscreening and gold/silver leafing.
In terms of oil painting I use a "push-pull" technique. I apply the paint with a brush and then pull some of it off with a rag, leaving traces of the. original color behind. This creates layers of paint and an illusion of depth to the surface of. the canvas
Through the monoprint process I have the freedom to express movement in each piece as I combine a two dimensional eastern art form with a three dimensional western perspective. (for more info on the process see attached link)
career highlightS
I have been fortunate to have been able to exhibit or be involved in projects internationally including Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Toronto, Austria, China, Macao, Saudi Arabia. as well many parts as the United States.
One of. my favorite highlights was a one person show at Dizyners Gallery in Philadelphia - my hometown. I had recently returned from living overseas and still had a lot of information to process. It was a great deal of work but the experience of bringing it all together for that show helped me grow tremendously as an artist.
For a list of exhibitions and corporate projects, please see my attached resume.