Rachel Berman’s paintings have been likened to the poems of Leonard Cohen. The mysterious figures and hidden stories glimpsed in her paintings are a reflection of the mysteries Berman has unraveled in her own life. This painting is from Cadillac Hotel, an exhibit at Ingram Gallery, on through April 26 in Toronto:  Hotel Room, 3rd Floor (2014) 30 x 38 oil on linen.

Once known as Susan King, Berman discovered her original birth name, birth date, and the names of her biological parents only recently, prompting her to reclaim her long-lost name. The self-educated artist is a widely exhibited painter and children’s book illustrator, based in Victoria, B.C.. Above:  The Gospel according to the other John (2014) 11 x 14 oil on panel

The Ingram Gallery has been exhibiting Berman’s work for many years. It’s well worth browsing her exhibition pages, here. Above: Mrs Dodge arose in the night and moved the Furniture (2010) 20 x 31 oil on panel. Below: The Cubicle City (2013) 11 x 14 oil on panel.

Rachel Berman was a finalist in the 2013 Governor General’s literary awards for children’s illustration for Miss Mousie’s Blind Date. The American-Canadian painter and illustrator was born in New Orleans and now lives in B.C.