Lucy Schappy

Courtenay, BC, Canada

“Living a creative life means choosing the path unknown; Lucy has lived by this. Painting is an extension of her freedom and self expression.”

About Me

I was always seeking space and freedom. As a young child I needed grass beneath my feet and blue skies above my head, if there were clouds, they were for dreaming. Rainy days were for painting and drawing.

I always chose the path that lead to exploration and new discovery. As a teen that was on horseback, as an adult I became a dentist to fund my wanderlust. I later traded the drill for a brush, and became a painter, exploring self expression and the infinite ways of doing that.

Examples of My Work

Fun Facts

  • Explore- After graduating dental school I went traveling to the Canary Islands where I worked on a German biodynamic herb farm for 3 months, then backpacked across Morocco for a month before moving on to Europe.
  • Mexico- Last winter I lived out the dream of painting in Mexico. We found a little studio with a pool and I painted in the sun drenched tropics all winter long.
  • Horses- When I was 13 I bought my 1st horse for $425. My Dad had promised that if I could save enough money he would pay half. My palomino was the love of my life and my escape to nature and freedom.
  • Languages- I love languages and have had the opportunity to live in and study the languages of Germany, Mexico and Quebec.
  • Music- Another love of mine is music. Dancing and singing [and failed attempts at learning piano and guitar] have been another outlet of self expression that have brought tremendous joy to my life.

More About Me

When did you know you were an artist?

I always knew that I wanted to make art but I didn’t know I could call myself an artist until I had left dentistry to devote myself full time to making art. I now understand that anyone who makes art is artist, anyone who dances is a dancer and anyone who runs is a runner.

What other non-artist jobs have you had?

I had many great summer jobs growing up including: working on a farm away from home in Northern Alberta and doing the local rodeo circuit [with my horse] every weekend in grade 10, being a trail guide at Jasper Park Lodge with my horse, waitressing at the Kananaskis Golf course in the Rocky mountains, working on the the grounds crew cutting grass on a golf course in Edmonton. I was always looking for the job that would lead to adventure!

What inspires you?

I am inspired by light and colour and the ways that shapes relate to each other. I love the negative spaces between objects and am very sensitive to these spaces and distances, as well as to colours, in my life and in my work. This is also played out in my home and furnishings as well as my garden and wardrobe.