Laurie Sommerville

Laurie Sommerville’s love for art and painting, has brought her tremendous pride and joy. The moment she put paint to canvas, she realized her passion was to express herself with a painters brush. Laurie is perceptive and competent in many styles of painting, which began with extensive training in realism.

She is always trying new things and feels that sometimes the subject dictates the painting style.

Laurie began taking art classes in Calgary, 21 years ago. Laurie spent time traveling to New York, studying under Master Painter and Master teacher Knox Martin, at the Art Students League of New York , where she became a juried member in 2008. “Knox taught me to look at art critically and analytically, and he would say….Now go paint something magnificent!!!”

In 2007, her philanthropic dedication guided her to starting a foundation for underprivileged youth, setting up education scholarships. Laurie was then guided to focusing on education of Indigenous youth in 2009.

This path brought her to research the circumstances around residential schools and become an advocate for First Nations children and the atrocities while they attended Canada’s Residential and Industrial Schools. She began speaking on the subject and produced the short documentary ‘Little Moccasins’ in 2013.