Chelsea artist Reid McLachlan explores what it means to be human through faith, identity and mortality in his powerful figurative paintings. These works focus on the artist’s own personal ghosts, but they also speak to the hopes, worries and fears in all of us. No matter what your reaction you will not be left unmoved by the intensity and power of these images.

“In my paintings I am exploring the universal themes of the human condition and searching for meaning, understanding and hope in our self-centred, material obsessed society.”

Although born in Pointe Claire, Quebec Reid spent his formative years growing up in a non descript suburban east-end Ottawa neighbourhood. As a somewhat apathetic teenager Reid discovered art in his mid teens, took night courses and then attended an arts high school in Ottawa for 2 years . He then went to the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and spent his last year of study at their campus in Florence, Italy. He graduated with Honours and a number of awards in 1987. Since then he has painted continuously and prolifically, first in Toronto, then Ottawa, and for the last 15 years at his studio in beautiful Chelsea, Quebec.

Reid has exhibited in Canada, the U.S. and in Italy, and his work can be found in public and private collections throughout North America. In the last four years he has had large solo shows at Art-Image in Gatineau, La Petite Mort in Ottawa, the City of Ottawa’s Karsh-Masson Gallery, the City of Gatineau’s Galerie Montcalm and at Alliance Française in Ottawa. He has also had solo exhibitions locally at L’Imagier, Casino Lac Leamy, Art Image, Santé Restaurant and Galerie Rodrigue Lemay and participated in numerous group shows at venues including the Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa School of Art and Canadian Museum of Nature.