Marilyn Mylrea

Marilyn S. Mylrea was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. She lived in small mining towns in Ontario until moving to Vancouver, British Columbia at age seven. Her father was a geological engineer and the family sometimes travelled due to his work. Her mother was a nurse and homemaker. She has two sisters and one brother. She was educated and grew up in Vancouver. Her passion for Art began as a teenager when she first started to study drawing and painting.

Ms. Mylrea is a Professional Artist with over thirty-five years of painting experience. She has three Art degrees including a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art - Painting and in Art History from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, and a Bachelor of Education degree in Art Education from the University of British Columbia. She is a Professional Art Teacher. She has taught Visual Art for many years and she is a dedicated advocate of Arts education. She taught Art History at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design to university students and studio art at many high schools. Twice her students have won the Royal Canadian Legion’s Remembrance Day National Poster Contests. She has also worked at the Vancouver Art Gallery and she was the Director/Owner of her own Art Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. for many years representing well established and emerging contemporary Canadian artists. Her art is in Art Auctions in China. She is a world traveler and has travelled extensively seeing most of the major museums in the world. This has greatly enhanced her knowledge of art and enriched her understanding of many diversified cultures as well as various global art practices. Ms. Mylrea greatly enjoys painting portraits and figures representing the beauty of all people and all ethnicities.

Ms. Mylrea’s art has been shown in numerous exhibitions including the first “Artropolis” exhibition and the international show “Fear of Others, Art Against Racism” which had art from 28 countries. Her work has been included in many reviews including the Globe and Mail, the Vanguard Magazine and the Canadian Art Magazine. Her painting “September 11th, The Day the Angels Cried – Hope” was chosen for the Cover of the American Spirit Seeker Magazine, September 2011 issue commemorating this tragedy. The French Newspaper La Source covered the exhibition “Harmony of Hues” in March 2011. Her art was included in the curated 2010 “Momentum” exhibition as well as in the Public Art Collection of the University of Victoria with the Coast Art Trust Society. Her solo exhibition “Tibetan Tribute” was shown on the French CBC TV News in 2004. This was an exhibition honoring the Dalai Lama’s visit to Vancouver.

Ms. Mylrea’s art was featured in the May, 2012 Canadian House and Home Magazine and in the 2012 West Coast Home & Design Magazine as well as been shown twice in the Chinese Taste of Life Magazine in 2012. Ms. Mylrea had a solo exhibition in June, 2005 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre’s Art Gallery in Vancouver. The Westender Newspaper featured the Opening Reception of a group show entitled “Still Reflections” in an article by Celebrity Reporter Catherine Barr on February 22, 2007 which was attended by the Vancouver Canuck’s owner Francesco Aquilini and the philanthropist Frank Giustra. The Vancouver Lifestyles magazine featured her gallery in their November, 2005 issue in “The Scene” section for the Opening Reception of the group exhibition “Mellow Reflections”.

Ms. Mylrea’s work was the only Canadian artist represented internationally at the Evocative Arts Gallery in Palm Springs, California, U.S.A. Her art was included in the curated exhibition “Selections from the Coast Art Trust” at the North Vancouver Museum, Presentation House in January, 2007 and at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in 2009. Her painting on Vancouver Canuck’s goalie “Roberto Luongo – Number 1” was in a commentary of the Vancouver Sun Newspaper Sports section on September 15, 2007. Her art was featured on the French CBC TV show Zig Zag in December 2007 for the show “Brilliant Days”. The Province Newspaper did a commentary for the show “Luminous Beauty” in Hans Ongsansoy’s “Great Things to Do” section on March 24, 2008. Her art was also included and sold in the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Art Rental and Sales Program. Ms. Mylrea donated a painting to the Vancouver General Hospital and U.B.C. Hospital Foundation and to the Canadian Cancer Society’s Daffodil Ball in April, 2012 as well as to many other admirable charity organizations.

Ms. Mylrea was especially honored to complete a commissioned painting for the famous First Nation’s master carver, Chief Beau Dick of his wonderful daughter entitled “Geraldine Dick”. Ms. Mylrea has been an invited guest at two potlatches in Alert Bay. Beau represented Canada in the Documenta 14 exhibition. She also did a special painting entitled “Jessica’s Heaven” which was in memory of 11 year old Jessica States who was murdered in Port Alberni in l996. This painting was given as a gift to Jessica’s parents.

Her art richly represents spirituality and sensuality with its vibrant colours, expressive brushstrokes and dramatic imagery. She works diligently on her artistic visions striving to consistently explore and develop new depths of creativity. She is also a poet and belongs to a writing club. Ms. Mylrea recently wrote a book entitled The Power of Divinity. She currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. Ms. Mylrea has been deeply influenced by the beauty of this region with its wonderful sky, water and mountainous lush landscape, as well as the magnificent art of the northwest First Nations people.