Paper Trail

About Paper Trail

This contemporary abstract acrylic painting is by Fiona Ackerman.

The distinctive style of painter Fiona Ackerman fueled by her imagination often defies conventional description. If asked, the Vancouver artist will tell you she embraces a variety of genres in her painting from abstract expressionism to realism. This is one of a series of paintings named for the ‘paper trail’ she noticed on daily walks to and from her studio. Notes left by strangers on walls and telephone poles found their way into her work. A line of crumpled white notes frame the top of the painting. Layers of paper, accentuated by graffiti-like expressive black markings cover the rest of the canvas. The background is a mix of textured gray-blue and neutral tones. The effect is intimate and immediately engages the viewer in the ‘conversation.’ In life, we all leave a paper trail.

“It is not possible to separate engagement with the material world from personal interior space. My paper trail of paintings leads to one conclusion: all of art is an abstraction, exploring the very real experience of fleeting life. There is, finally, no division between worlds.” Fiona Ackerman

“…Ackerman quietly and proficiently delivers on her pledge of continued reinvention, each series more unexpected than the last. Much of her work feels collaged, though she works primarily with paint—colours are layered, and textures swirl and overlap.” Elia Essen, Nuvo Magazine

Fiona Ackerman was born in Ottawa in 1978. She studied painting at Concordia University and completed a BFA at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 2002. She has held more than 20 solo exhibitions internationally.
Fiona’s studio practice extends beyond painting to include several large-scale murals, video and other public art projects. In her free time, she writes and records music and videos, often working with other musicians. She currently lives and works in Vancouver, BC.