Camille Myles
Camille Myles is a Canadian contemporary artist based in Tiny, Ontario, with a deep connection to nature and history—bringing hope and transformation to her community through her art. Working in painting, sculpture, installation, and public art, she creates conversations about identity and celebrates change and growth in her work.
She received her BFA from the University of Ottawa and her MA in Heritage Conservation from Carleton University. Myles has exhibited extensively, including at Museo de Arte de Mazatlán, Naruki Art Dojo (NYC), Artist Project, J2 Gallery + Studio, Quest Art Gallery, Paradigm Gallery, Ottawa Art Gallery, BHA Gallery, Arts Mums United, Visionary Art Collective, PxP Contemporary, and Gallery 115, among others.
She has participated in art residencies at Studio H International (Victoria, BC) in 2022 and MOTHRA at Gibraltar Point in Toronto in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She is the recipient of an RBC Arts Incubator grant (2022) and Ontario Arts Council grants (2022, 2024, 2025). Drawn to the power of public art as a social dialogue, Camille has created large-scale murals and public sculptures in Midland and Penetanguishene.
Her work has been featured in The Jealous Curator, Toronto Star, Create! Magazine, Visionary Art Collective, Arts to Hearts Project, Women United in Art Magazine, and numerous podcasts. Originally from Gatineau/Ottawa, she now lives along the shores of Georgian Bay with her husband and three children.
Artist Statement:
“Remembrance” Series
My work is about holding onto moments that might otherwise be lost—honoring the quiet, unseen parts of our lives that shape who we are.
Remembrance is a series of intimate oil paintings that honor and reimagine lost family photographs, both from my own archive and found images discarded by others. In an era where AI-generated images and curated social media feeds distort reality, this project embraces the tactile, expressive nature of painting to reconnect with the past. With a soft, vintage palette and gestural marks, these works evoke the hazy, shifting nature of memory itself.
Influenced by artists like Daisy Patton and Brenda Draney, I approach these portraits with a balance of abstraction and narrative. Like Patton, I use found photographs to explore connection and loss, while Draney’s expressive minimalism reminds me that what’s left unsaid—or unpainted—can carry just as much weight as what’s depicted.
By working from forgotten portraits, I explore themes of motherhood, memory, and intergenerational connection. My mother was mostly absent in my early childhood, and as a result, photos from that time are scarce—often a mother’s role is to document family moments, and when she is missing, so are the images. Through expressive strokes, color, and abstraction, I reinterpret these photographs not as exact replications, but as deeply personal meditations on identity, trauma, and healing.
This project is both autobiographical and universal, inviting viewers to consider the fragility of memory and the significance of preserving stories before they are lost. Through Remembrance, I seek to honor the unseen, give presence to the forgotten, and find connection through the act of painting.
https://www.camillemyles.com
What themes or emotions are you exploring in your current work?
My work is about holding onto moments that might otherwise be lost—honoring the quiet, unseen parts of our lives that shape who we are. My recent body of work, Remembrance, explores memory, motherhood, and the quiet weight of what’s been left behind. I’m especially drawn to lost or discarded family photographs—partly because I have so few from my own childhood. Painting becomes a way to reclaim and reimagine these gaps in personal and collective histories.
What does your creative process look like?
I work in oils, beginning with a vivid pink underpainting that stays partially visible, creating warmth and energy beneath each layer. I draw directly from vintage photographs, turning once-forgotten moments into bold, gestural paintings that feel both timeless and deeply human. It’s a process of honoring memory by giving it form, texture, and presence.
What inspires you outside of the visual arts?
My background in heritage conservation, archaeology, and public history deeply informs my work. I manage a national park and historic site, where I constantly think about how generations of people and wildlife shape a place and its identity. That long view of memory and meaning is at the heart of my painting practice.
How do you balance personal expression with the business side of your career?
Balancing a day job, being a mom to three kids, and building a career in the arts is a real juggling act. I can’t always attend every opening, but I prioritize my studio time, ask for help, and stay connected through community and collaboration. My kids often join me at exhibitions and residencies—they see firsthand what it means to live a creative, grounded life, and that’s something I value deeply.
What do you hope viewers feel or take away from your work?
I hope people feel a sense of recognition and connection—like they’ve seen these faces before, even if they haven’t. My work is about honoring the quiet, unseen parts of our lives that shape who we are. It invites viewers to reflect on memory, absence, and the quiet power of presence.
