Biography

Rebecca Fortin is a Canadian-born (b. Stratford, Ontario, 1982; she/her pronouns) visual artist residing in rural Whitby, Ontario (near Ashburn, north-east of Toronto). Influenced by her childhood growing up on working farms in southwestern Ontario (Stratford, Wellesley, and Wingham), she seeks to foster a deep connection between people, plants and nature through drawing, painting, photography and other creative processes. A current focus is creating botanical casts: positive-relief wall frescos using botanicals pressed in wet clay and set with plaster. Her studio is located on 6-acres of environmentally sensitive lands situated in on the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine. Fortin creates living art by growing herbs and botanicals, many that are used as natural pigments or incorporated into her artwork directly. She is also rehabilitating forested areas on her property by planting indigenous and endangered plants, wildflowers and trees.  

Fortin is also a facilitator, educator and storyteller. Most recent with StoryCenter in the US and StoryCentre Canada working on projects funded by a variety of organizations, including the Ontario Arts Council. She came to this work after completing a Fellowship in Global Journalism with the University of Toronto. Her first exposure to digital storytelling was in 2007, where she led a participatory arts-based photovoice project for young mothers who experienced homelessness directed and funded by the National Film Board of Canada. She also offers occasional plant-based educational and creative workshops from her home-garden studio.

After a 20-year career in Public Health, Rebecca Fortin is enjoying a second career working full-time as a professional artist and spending as much time, as is possible, outdoors in nature and with plants. Her artistic practice is influenced by her past experiences of working in government and community-based organizations developing a passion and knowledge for: community-based herbalism and therapeutic horticulture, plant and nature conservation, mental health promotion, access to healthy foods, healthy built environments, gender equity and inclusion, and more. She holds a Public Health master’s degree in Health Promotion + Community Development. 

She is a recent graduate of the Drawing and Painting program at the Haliburton School of Art + Design (2022). Her artwork and academic success awarded her two program awards. Fortin’s work has been shown in a variety of locations across Ontario and are held in private and corporate collections. Selected exhibitions include: the Latcham Art Centre’s 2023 Annual Juried Exhibition (Stouffville, Ontario) and the Robert McLaughlin Gallery’s 2014 RMG Exposed — Juried Photography Auction (Oshawa, Ontario). At RMG Exposed, her photograph, Foggiest Notion, was awarded one of the top 10 finalists. Rebecca’s botanical cast artwork, Wildflowers on Blue, won honourable mention at Ontario Tech University’s The Art of Sustainability Juried Exhibition in February 2024. She is also a 2023 recipient of an Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance grant.