Kendra Gadzala grew up in the countryside outside of Ottawa, where exploring was a big part of her childhood. She has since traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe and North America, documenting her journeys through sketches and photographs. She brings this sense of discovery and exploration of the landscape to her work.
As an artist, she is drawn to elements that constantly change, such as the sky, reflections on water, light and shadow. Her process starts with a quick sketch in situ or a series of photographs, capturing the scene at a specific time. These images are then taken back to the studio and further refined. Her work is based on observation but the compositions often get simplified and further abstracted to reveal the core elements of the scene. Kendra works with oil on paper or on board, sometimes using cold wax to create a sense of texture in the work.
Kendra has a degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University. Her art has been exhibited internationally and is in several private collections in North America and Asia. She now lives in Toronto, where she teaches art and design at Centennial College.