​London teen shows her work for first time at Victoria Park Gallery in Kincardine

Rhiannon Ohler loves history and tries to capture the passing of time in her work.

The 18-year-old, who lives in London and Kincardine, has her acrylic paintings and oil pastel drawings on display for the first time, at the Victoria Park Gallery in downtown Kincardine, as the guest artist for the month of September.

A graduate of the art specialist program at H.B. Beal, Ohler’s subject matter mostly consists of rural landscapes, people, and old barns.

“I live in the city but love to go for drives on two-lane highways and country roads,” she says. “I want the viewer to think about the passing of time when looking at my work.”

Ohler is visually stimulated and focuses on detail.

“My inspiration comes from finding the beauty in the nature around me,” she says, “and I am constantly finding new visual references in everyday life that spark creativity. I’m inspired by the peace and harmony found in nature. - the oldest farms, wooded hills, animals, and shallow streams – there are infinite possibilities.

“I love that I’m able to capture what’s around me in my own way, while preserving part of the past.”

At first glance, Ohler’s acrylics looks like pastels. When painting, she usually works in sections around the canvas, using an earthy-toned palette. She uses a mixture of dry and wet brush technique to achieve a heavy, dramatic, atmospheric quality.

During her art studies, she completed projects in print-making, sculpture and ceramics, but she is drawn to acrylics and oil pastels. Her work at the gallery features acrylic on canvas and acrylic on wood, as well as some oil pastel drawings.

While she lives in London, Ohler and her family frequent Kincardine, rent a cottage here in the summer, and have many friends here, which is why she is thrilled to have her artwork on display in the local gallery.

“It feels amazing to have my work on display here,” she says. “Kincardine has so many artists who are devoted to what they do. It means a lot to me to showcase my paintings here.”

Ohler would like to take up art professionally or teach history. Currently, she is taking a gap year as she decides what path to take. “Art is a byproduct of my love for history.”