L. Hicks

"Through my art I am the instrument that performs for you."

Born in 1978 L. Hicks has actively produced abstract, acrylic and multimedia canvases which celebrate her hard-won victory after facing a devastating car accident.

Hicks has mentioned that in high school her art teacher introduced her to painting and clay. She began showing paintings and clay sculptures in art exhibits. At Algonquin College, she learned about the elements of art and design in the Graphic Design program. In St. Lawrence College she further honed her life drawing skills and took other painting classes.

In 2005 , Hicks mentions, a catastrophic car accident turned my passion for art into my salvation. Traumatic injuries to all four lobes of my brain left me unable to Speak Clearly, suffered from Double Vision and Functional Limb Weakness. My amazing rehab team encouraged me not to give up on my passion, and I didn’t. Over many years I reinvented myself as I relearned the principles and techniques I had known. I practiced writing, reading, running and musical instruments to challenge the plasticity of my brain. The damage was so severe that I had to learn to paint with my left hand instead of my previously dominant right hand.

Supported by many wonderful people, I persevered. I continue to challenge myself to create a multi-dimensional world on a two-dimensional stage in order to achieve depth and emotion in each piece. In 2011 I was invited to display my art in La Biennale Internazionale Dell'Arte Contemporanea in Florence, Italy. In March 2012 I received an Honorable Mention in the Marianne Van Silfhout Art Gallery at St Lawrence College, for the painting ‘Shield’.

In 2016 I was accepted in the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, juried into the Ottawa Art Expo for three years, and into Ottawa’s La Petite Mort Gallery for one year. I have shown my works in many outdoor shows including the New Art Festival and Art in the Park in Ottawa, and at Perth’s Stewart Park Music Festival. I am currently displaying my work at Arta Gallery in Toronto’s Distillery District, and at Studio 87 Gallery in Perth, Ontario. Have had my work mentioned in numerous documents and literature over the years.

I learned a great deal about the world of art during the six years I owned my own gallery. During the past two years I have served as President for The Arts and Culture Council for Smiths Falls and District in Ontario. I have also taught art classes offering certificates in various mediums for 19 years.

The Canadian Federal Government has purchased 21 of Hick's paintings, and she has over 25 works in private collections, including several commissions.