April Lacheur Painter

Expressiones

In a labyrinth of whorls and meandering serpentine roots in which the inner mysteries of nature become indistinguishable from the outer, APRIL LACHEUR’S paintings are never still.

BY LAURA GOLDSTEIN

April Lacheur in her studio- Photo credit Varidy Photography“Trees are an obsession with me – exposing roots- in every sense- where we come from and capturing the elusive quality of life,” is how the 33-year old Delta-born Lacheur interprets her work. Perhaps it’s a subliminal theme that originated from Lacheur’s double life: trained as a Registered Nurse in post open heart surgery and palliative care that’s now reflected in her vibrant, self-taught acrylics celebrating life.

She launched her business, YapesPaints, in 2008 exhibiting at the BC Home + Garden Show and Portobello West; Make It! in Edmonton and Vancouver’s annual Circle Craft and most recently, IDS-west. “I really hit the pavement running,” explains Lacheur, who has already parlayed her artistry and marketing acumen into gift cards, and calendars sold to over 60 retailers (including BC Ferries) and galleries across Canada and various sports equipment licensing opportunities. “I realized early on the importance of being a businesswoman first. I have to wear so many hats. It’s always a balancing act.”

Home safe (crop) 24x36 acrlic on canvas with metal and wire (Painting by April Lacheur metal by Renato HorvathWorking from her home studio in White Rock, B.C., Lacheur paints in bold colours and textured earthy hues outlined in black acrylic ink, resulting in a mystical though unintentional, aboriginal-like style; the latter she thinks Maori- inspired during her time living in Australia. Her large canvases contain delightfully intricate three-dimensional surprises from her collaboration with her husband, sheet metal worker, Renato Horvath, who creates sculptured metal and copper embellishments of leaves, feathers and bird nests.

Exhibiting at the upcoming Spring One of a Kind Show in Toronto, Lacheur is developing more designs with Skevik Skiis in Vernon and bold landscape graphics for WazSup’s Railay stand-up paddleboards in Vancouver and hopes to pursue commissions working with interior designers for hotels, restaurants and boutiques in the near future.

An avid hiker, the West Coast landscape will always be her muse. Lacheur confides, “I always feel free when I paint.”

http://www.yapespaints.com