About Keli-Ann - CV

Newfoundland Artist Keli-Ann Pye-Beshara - colour whimsical art

I am a blogger and professional visual artist in Holyrood, Newfoundland, known for my colourful stories and vibrant whimsical visions of architecture and landscapes. 

After graduating with my fine arts degree in 1994, I lived away for 14 years. But in 2009 my retired military art muse, Brent "Besh" Beshara and I moved back to my home province to be with our large family. I fell madly in love with the island I'd taken for granted back in the day. Since then I have become an avid promoter of the history, culture, tourism and beauty of Newfoundland and Labrador through my art and through our lifestyle.

I have a dedicated following of over 20,000 Newfoundland and art enthusiasts from all over the world. I became known as "The Social Artist" for my public art studio debut in 2006 and painting live at events for years after that.

Today, I am an active philanthropist supporting causes close to my heart like mentoring budding artists, partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and promoting Newfoundland farmers and island sustainability. Since 2006, I have been featured in publications such as Home & Cabin, The Telegram, Beyond the City, Downhome Magazine, Dining & The Arts, Escarpment Magazine, On the Bay, and Oil & Gas Magazine.

ART AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

-    2022 Selected for Fine Arts Friday virtual "Paint Music", in partnership with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and NL Department of Education, to bring more music and art into the schools. Listened to Mendelssohn performed by the NSO wwhile students, along with artist Nelson White and myself, created our own works of art while listening to the music of the NSO.

-    2017  Selected as the Newfoundland representative in the book "The Soul Flow - Celebrating Canadian women living exceptional lives who embody courage, creativity, and inspire others to embrace their uniqueness"

-    2009 - Present Through my 50/50 Art Donation Program, have helped many organizations raise thousands of dollars for their causes.

-    2016  Developed an Art Card Fundraising Program in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland & The Georgian Triangle.

-    2014-15 Commissioned by the I AM Genie Foundation to do an original painting as a momento for Wayne Dyer when he spoke in St. John's and gifted Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, Marianne Williamson, Gabrielle Bernstein and James van Praagh with my artwork when they presented in St. John's, Ottawa and Montreal.

-    2009 Developed a fundraising model based on my original painting of the school & art product to raise money for playground equipment for Connaught Public School Art, Collingwood, ON 

-    2007 Nominated for Business Woman of the Year, Collingwood, ON.

-    2007 Won the Wong Gregersen Dabrus Architects Inc. Artist Competition Commission to paint the architectural rendering of the new Collingwood Public Library.

-    2007 Nominated for the Collingwood Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year.

-    2007 Won funding through the Robert Kemp Arts Award to run my Art Sister Program where I took 3 girls from Big Sisters to galleries, studios & restaurants and we each completed a final art piece for an exhibition.

-    2000-2003 Inside Out Designs, Halifax, NS - Co-Owner & Interior Decorator - With a love of design, textures and colours since birth, my business partner and I started a Residential & Commercial Interior Design Firm and created beautiful personalized interiors which increased productivity and happiness within our clients’ spaces. We won numerous awards for our work. This influenced me later in my art career in which I now offer large scale canvas prints of my work to achieve the impactful 'designer look'.

EDUCATION 

2014 Digital Marketing [Memorial University of Newfoundland]

1997 Interior Decorating & Design Concepts Diploma [Lawrence College]
Award: Highest Grade Point Average of graduating class 

1994 Bachelor of Fine Arts – Visual [Memorial University of Newfoundland]
Major:  Drawing & Minors: Art History & Photography

PUBLICITY

Articles about my work are found in such publications as The Downhome, Home & Cabin, The Independent, The Telegram, Oil & Gas Magazine, Escarpment Magazine, Stayner Sun, Collingwood Life, Collingwood Connection, Enterprise Bulletin, mycollingwood.ca, Beyond the City, Dining & the Arts, On the Bay, and Our Homes. 


VOLUNTEER

2006 - Present Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland & Georgian Triangle

2006 - Present Ongoing Art Instruction & presentations in schools

2014/15 “Based in Business” Panel Member for Veterans becoming Entrepreneurs, St. John’s, NL

2012 Girl Guide Helper, Holyrood, NL

2009 Magic of Children Art Exhibit Juror, Collingwood, ON

2009 Collingwood Public Library Arts Advisory Council, ON

2008 Georgian Triangle Tourist Association – Board of Directors, Collingwood, ON

2007 Big Sister & Art Program with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Georgian Triangle, ON

CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

Hickman Motors (St. John's), Stack & Associates Law Firm (St. John's), Bluedrop Performance Learning (St. John's), St. John's Delta Hotel, TD Bank (Collingwood, ON), WGD Architects (Toronto, ON), Town of Collingwood (ON), Clearview Montessori School (Stayner, ON), Blue Mountain Village Association (Blue Mountains, ON), Kravet Fabrics (Montreal, QC). And I am very thankful for the many Private Collectors who support my art.