Marlene Pape has been painting professionally since 2003.
 Prior to that she was an elementary school teacher, interior
 decorator, model and children’s clothing designer. She paints
using acrylic on canvas, with her favorite subjects being trees,
 skies and clouds. She has had 4 solo art exhibits (Gallery 888
and Cobalt Gallery in Toronto) featuring 50 -70 new works each
year and has participated in numerous group shows with the Beach
Guild of Fine Art and the Toronto Cafe Society of Artists. Marlene’s
 art can now be found in over 300  private, corporate and public
 collections in Canada, United States, Serbia, England and Switzerland.
 Ten of her paintings and 6 photographs were selected to be part
of the decor of the “Get Wired” Feature Home for the Toronto National
Home Show in 2008. As well, her work is frequently featured on the
 decorating television show, “Love It or List It”. When not preparing
 for exhibits, Marlene works on commissioned pieces from her home
studio in the Beach, gives art lessons in her children’s school and
provides interior decorating consultations. Her hobbies include
 landscape and portrait photography and playing piano.  

  'Painting is not a social activity. It requires that one be comfortable with one's own solitude for long periods of time. This isolated, but not at all lonely process is ideal for me as I am, at heart, a loner. As well, I feel extremely fortunate that I have the opportunity to follow and fulfill my creative passion on a daily basis.  When I begin a painting, I often have a vague notion of where I would like to end, but most of the time the painting has other ideas and so, much of my focus is on "listening" to the painting and "following" its lead. The subject may be a tranquil landscape or a turbulent sky or ocean, but it is always the play of light, shadow and reflection that brings the painting to life.'