Monika Rosen is a figurative and landscape painter based in Kingston, Ontario, holding an MFA from the New York Academy of Art and a BFA from Queen’s University. Working primarily in oil and fascinated by the relationship between the psyche and the landscape, her paintings navigate themes of vulnerability, transformation, and the rhythms of an interconnected ecosystem. Through a dynamic interplay of light and water, she evokes a process of change and healing. Monika’s practice has been shaped by international art residencies, including one in Manchester (UK), Assisi (Italy), and an internship residency at Fogo Island Arts in Newfoundland awarded by the NYAA. Her work has been exhibited in group shows in the US and Europe and in solo exhibitions in Canada, with pieces acquired for the collections of 21C Museum Hotels (US) and The Daniels Corporation (Toronto). Since settling back in Kingston, Rosen has been a part of many local art fairs including the 2024 Women’s Art Festival and the inaugural 1000 Islands Art Festival, and was awarded Best-In-Show for her painting “Center of Gravity” at the 2024 Kingston Square Foot Show. When not painting in her Kingston studio, Monika illustrates (medical, children’s books), teaches, and sails the waters of Lake Ontario.

Artist Statement:

I turn to the human figure and the elusive, dynamic properties of water to explore connection, healing, and the psyche. At the heart of my work is a relational framework—I am drawn to a nuanced and poetic negotiation of individual vulnerability and transformation within an interconnected ecosystem. It is a space of both difficulty and longing. The figure, often a woman, embodies this journey. At times, it takes the form of a group of interwoven people, the distinct structure of a waterfall, or a seemingly uninhabited landscape. Painting light with color is central to my practice—through its rhythms and contrasts, I seek to evoke hope and a space that embraces multitudes.

An en-plein air practice accompanies my studio work, where the landscape, both a mirror and teacher, deepens how I see. As I look at the landscape, I reflect on wonder, sanctuary, grief, and renewal; in the act of painting it, I apply a sportsmanlike determination to capture the fleeting light, mirroring the transient moments of change I explore in the studio. Through this process, I hope to invite others to feel and see anew.