Written by Water
Olivia Whiddon
-
By the Water Lilies 2:540:00/2:54
-
0:00/3:44
-
Otter Under the Dock 3:460:00/3:46
-
0:00/3:18
-
0:00/2:57
Photo credit: Olivia Whiddon
Written by Water
Teresa Bowyer & Olivia Whiddon: A Creative Collaboration
Teresa Bowyer and Olivia Whiddon’s collaboration began when Teresa Bowyer attended Olivia’s performance in TryLight Theatre Company’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. Inspired by Olivia’s artistry, Teresa Bowyer invited Olivia to be the subject of a series of paintings based on her voice—an idea Olivia embraced with enthusiasm.
Their creative partnership blossomed as they discovered a shared connection to water and a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the Lake of the Woods region. Together, their work serves as a heartfelt tribute—a love letter to the waters of Northwestern Ontario.
Their first collaboration in 2018 resulted in “Painted Song,” a series of paintings by Teresa Bowyer inspired by arias Olivia performed from Douglas Moore’s opera The Ballade of Baby Doe.
The project “Written by Water” originated in 2019 during Olivia’s Bridge and Falls Creative Residency in Sioux Narrows, Ontario. With the support of an Inter Arts grant from the Ontario Arts Council, the duo developed the work further, premiering the collection in April 2023 at the Douglas Family Art Centre in Kenora, ON. Since then, new pieces have been added, enriching the ongoing dialogue between music and visual art.
To explore the exhibition and learn more about its connection to the community, visit:
👉 Written by Water – The Muse
About Teresa Bowyer
Teresa Bowyer graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University, Montreal. Over the years, she has refined her skills as an illustrator and expanded her knowledge of anatomy and organic forms through studio practice and fellowships in Ireland. Her work is held in private collections across Japan, Iran, Scotland, the United States, Canada, Ireland, and England.
Explore more of her work at teresabowyer.com.
What People Are Saying
“Exhilarating and soothing all at once. Surrounded by the beautiful music and paintings created a unique harmony of artistic expression! Thank you for this wonderful experience!”
— Eleanor M.
“I was particularly struck by Olivia Whiddon’s musical rendition of Robert Frost’s ‘Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening.’ It’s a well-known poem, but Olivia’s potent vocals and harp accompaniment evoked in me a response that, when combined with the depth of Teresa Bowyer’s paintings, reminded me, in spite of ‘thinking I knew whose woods these are,’ that art continues to provide heightened opportunities to reflect on the beauty that nature offers to life.”
— Wayne J.
Photo credit: Olivia Whiddoon