Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Mural

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Mural Application

Stephanie Kellett

920 Innes Street, Nelson, BC, V1L5T2

250-551-5896

Letter of Intent:

My name is Stephanie Kellett, and I am a visual artist specializing in colourful, nature-inspired imagery and public murals that invite curiosity while brightening shared spaces. My work combines locally relevant flora and fauna with pattern and colour to create artwork that is accessible and engaging, with a focus on relationships to place and ecosystem.

I am drawn to the opportunity to create a mural for the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre. As a resident of a temperate rain forest region in the West Kootenays, I have observed the impacts of climate change, forest management, and reduced precipitation on local ecosystems. My approach would be to develop a mural that reflects the interconnection of the Lynn Canyon ecosystem—bringing together local plant, animal, and fungi species to show relationships between forest layers and overall ecological health. I aim to create a mural that is visually inviting and subtly educational, encouraging visitors to pause and observe.

My initial concept is a layered, landscape-like composition showing the forest from ground to canopy, including root systems, fungi, under-story plants, animals and their tracks, and water. These elements would be arranged to clearly, yet playfully, show relationships within the ecosystem. An illustrative style with bold shapes, line, and pattern would both brighten the building and draw attention to the design.

The composition would guide the viewer’s eye along the walkway, and from outer edges in, toward the entrance through shifts in scale, pattern, and colour. I would also consider extending the mural into the entrance alcove to highlight below-ground or geological elements. Additional simple forms or repeated motifs along the walkway could support a sense of movement and connection.

I work with acrylic exterior paints using brushes and rollers, applying a clear topcoat for durability. I have several years of experience assisting with mural preparation and installation through Nelson MuralFest, have fall certification training, and am confident in creating long-lasting outdoor work. I am also open to offering an artist talk as part of the project.

I have created and contributed to several public murals across British Columbia, including work with Nelson MuralFest, community murals in Winlaw, BC, and assisting Indigenous artist Ric Gendron with a Nelson mural. I have also exhibited widely in public galleries, with work grounded in landscape, wildlife, and place-based themes.

I am available to complete this project in August or September 2026 and would be honoured to contribute to the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre.

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STEPHANIE KELLETT CV (she/they)

Nelson, BC, Canada — on the traditional territories of the Sinixt, Syilx, and Ktunaxa Nations

hello@stephkellett.com | 250-551-5896

www.stephkellett.com | instagram.com/stephkellettart

PUBLIC ART & MURALS

2022 — Mural Assistant to Ric Gendron, Nelson International Mural Festival
2020 — Mural, Fairway4Farm, Winlaw, BC (commission)
2019 — Youth Mural Project, Nelson International Mural Festival (invited, funded)
2018 — Mountain Memories, Nelson International Mural Festival (juried, funded)
2015 — Treasure Within, Winlaw, BC (funded)

2014 — Coyote Falls in Love with Rain, Winlaw, BC (funded, facilitated group mural)

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2026 — Gallery 378, Craft Connection, Nelson, BC (solo)
2025, 2023 — BASScamp Art Gallery, Shambhala Music Festival, Salmo, BC (group)
2022 — Bursting Through the Gates of Joy, Cantina del Centro, Nelson, BC (solo)
Nelson Artwalk: Kootenay Bakery (solo), Touchstones Museum (group)
2021 — Grayscale, Cantina del Centro, Nelson, BC (solo)
2020 — After Eden, Kootenay Gallery of Art, Castlegar, BC (solo)
2019 — Rewilding: firestarter, Gallery 2, Grand Forks, BC (solo)
2018 — Rewilding: firestarter, Oxygen Art Centre, Nelson, BC (solo, funded)
2017 — Landscape, Migration, Wildness, VISAC Gallery, Trail, BC (solo)

GRANTS & RESIDENCIES

2021, 2018 — Columbia Basin Trust Art Production Grant
2016 — Columbia Basin Trust Major Project Grant
2015 — Slocan Valley Community Arts Council Production Grant
2014 — Toni Onley Artist Project Residency, Island Mountain Arts, Wells, BC
2012–2015 — Columbia Basin Trust Art Production Grants

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

2023 — Juror, Narrows Artist Residency; Juror, Nelson International Mural Festival
2020 — Juror, Sculpture Walk, Castlegar; Artist Talk, Kootenay Gallery of Art
2019 — Artist Talk, Gallery 2, Grand Forks
2018 — Panelist, Nelson International Mural Festival; Juror, Oxygen Art Centre

EDUCATION

2024 — Diploma of Counselling Skills, Orca Institute
2021 — Mentorship, Pennylane Shen (Dazed & Confucius)
2014 — Toni Onley Artist Project Mentorship
2008 — BA, Art History, University of Victoria
2003 — Diploma in Fine Arts, Okanagan University College

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2023–2025 — Board Member, Nelson & District Arts Council
2020 — Facilitator, Nelson International Mural Festival
2006–2016 — Freelance Graphic Designer

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Artist Bio:

Stephanie Kellett is a Canadian artist based in Nelson, BC, on the traditional territories of the Sinixt, Ktunaxa, and Syilx Nations.

She grew up in the Okanagan Valley, where early experiences of lakes, dry grasslands, and close encounters with wildlife shaped her connection to the natural world. She holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from Okanagan University College and later completed a degree in Art History in Victoria.

In 2010, she moved to the Kootenay region to focus on painting. What began as a short-term plan became a long-term practice rooted in observation and place-based work.

Her work focuses on flora and fauna, using pattern, colour, and layered composition to explore relationships within ecosystems. Drawing from time spent in regions such as the Yukon and Chilcotin, her practice is informed by direct experience with landscape, wildlife, and seasonal change.

Stephanie exhibits in both public and commercial venues and has created murals, books, and collaborative projects. Her work is grounded in an ongoing interest in connection—to place, environment, and the more-than-human world.

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Artist Statement:

I grew up in the Okanagan Valley, spending long days outdoors in the sage-covered hills. Time in that landscape—watching animals, noticing seasonal shifts, and paying attention to small details of sight and smell—shaped how I see and relate to the natural world.

I have always drawn, and later studied photography, video, and art history. In 2009, I moved to the Kootenay region and began painting. What began as a short stay became long-term, and I developed a full-time practice rooted in close observation of the landscape, its ecosystems and seasons.

My work focuses on flora and fauna, using pattern, colour, and layered composition to explore relationships within the natural world. I am interested in how different elements—plants, animals, and environment—coexist and influence one another. This often takes form through repeated shapes, interconnected structures, and a balance between detail and open space.

Alongside my visual art practice, my studies in psychology and counselling inform how I approach both process and subject matter. I am interested in attention, perception, and how people form connections—to place, to environment, and to each other.

Animals are a consistent focus in my work. They offer a way to explore presence, adaptation, and relationship within an ecosystem without needing narrative or explanation.

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Portfolio: