MEET THE BANFF ARTIST, EMILY BEAUDION

Hi, I’m Emily Beaudoin. I’m a watercolor and pen-and-ink artist and muralist from Calgary, Alberta. I’ve been drawn to and inspired by the mountains and their flora and fauna for as long as I can remember. The sheer size of the peaks around Banff never fails to amaze me, and as the daughter of two geologists, I’ve always been fascinated by the flow and movement of the mountains. The sweep of our valleys, the way the Bow River winds through the landscape, and the massive layers of rock that were folded, forced upwards, and carved by glaciers are endlessly inspiring to me, as are the plants and animals that roam within the landscape.

I started painting the mountains when I moved to Victoria to attend UVic. I loved living on the island, but I missed the Rockies and found a lot of comfort in painting the peaks I’d grown up around. I entered the Prior Snow top sheet competition in Whistler and won two pairs of skis with my art on them. This was the first time that being a professional artist seemed like a real possibility, and I started getting requests for commissions and little projects here and there. I left UVic and pursued a job in the outdoor industry but always made time for art.

Over the years, I’ve grown my art practice into a full-time job, which still seems surreal to me. I’ve expanded into painting murals, creating artwork for outdoor companies, artist mentorship, and continuing to paint the peaks I love so much. It feels like an absolute dream job, and when I heard that I’d been selected as the artist for this year’s Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, I was completely floored. I grew up attending the fest and have always wanted to be a part of it in some way, but I’d never have imagined that I would be fortunate enough to be involved like this. I’m so excited to celebrate our love of wild places, adventure, and creativity together this year!

This design was a product of my love for both the mountains and the flora and fauna within them. I wanted to celebrate our wildlife and the ecosystems they live in, so I chose a windswept mountain goat against a backdrop of Mount Rundle and golden larches. All of these elements are very ‘Banff,’ and I loved the way the mountain goat’s coat moved and echoed the sweep of Mount Rundle in the background. 

I am, first and foremost, a plein air painter, which is a French expression that means “in the open air.” I start by packing my backpack full of art supplies, snacks, layers, and camping gear. Then, I head out into the mountains to find a beautiful spot to paint. I begin with a pencil drawing to get the feel of the composition, and when I’m happy with the perspective and proportions, I start painting. Capturing the flow of a landscape, as well as the way the light hits it, are always my main priorities, and I often lose track of time and paint all day and into the night if I’m camped out.

There’s something magical about this process, at least for me. The sweat, constant slathering of sunscreen, heavy packs, numb fingers, trail snacks, bug bites, and late nights spent finishing paintings by headlamp make me so happy. It’s not efficient, easy, or a good business plan, but I just love it. The paintings are small, imperfect, battered, and slightly grimy, but imbued with an indescribable bit of magic.

It’s hard to narrow it down, but I really love hiking and skiing. The feeling of carrying everything you need to survive on your back and heading out into the wilderness is such a special one, and the extended time spent in nature brings me back to myself and really fuels my creativity. I love stopping to paint along the way, and the long days spent in the mountains are always full of inspiration, laughter, and good times. 

For me, “Live More Now” means experiencing a sense of wonder as often as possible. We all lead such busy lives, and being intentional about watching more alpenglow, stopping to appreciate the way the light hits a creek, scrambling up peaks with my art supplies, appreciating the taste of a meal after a long day of hiking, and waking up in my tent makes me feel so appreciative of these wild places and the opportunity to live, work, and play in them. 

• I have synesthesia – a neurological condition where your senses are crossed. For me, it manifests as experiencing words and touch as color. I draw a lot of my color palette inspiration from these experiences, and color is a constant presence in my personal and artistic life.

• When I’m painting murals or working in my studio, I absolutely tear through podcasts and audiobooks. I get on these jags of listening to books about certain times in history, people, or places, and I just lose myself in a wormhole. It’s a really fun addition to the time spent creating inside or on a big mural wall, although nothing beats listening to the birds, wind, and water while plein air painting.

• I really love dinosaurs. We spent a lot of time hanging out at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, reading books, watching movies, and drawing dinosaurs as kids (again, a result of having geologists for parents). Someday, I’d love to illustrate or paint a series of dinosaur pieces for some kind of project. It would be a total departure from my regular art practice, but I think it would be so much fun.