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Laurie
McGaw is well known for her vibrant portraits of such renowned figures
as jazz artists Oscar Peterson and Gene Di Novi and film director Norman
Jewison. She is also known for her award-winning illustrated books: Polar
the Titanic Bear, nominated for a Governor General’s Award, has
sold over 680,000 copies in five languages. A New York Times review
described her portraits for African Princess as “stunning”;
she was honored for her work by the NAACP. Portraiture has been featured
on four collector’s coins that she has designed for the Royal Canadian
Mint, including the 2007 proof silver dollar and a $300 gold coin series
celebrating the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. A graduate of The
Ontario College of Art & Design, and a former instructor there,
Laurie continues to teach: she conducts portrait painting workshops
biannually and teaches master classes to small groups throughout the
year. The focus of her work is portraiture. Whether in commissioned
works, illustrations, or historical paintings, her love is painting
people. Laurie McGaw’s work has been featured in books, magazines, and
private and corporate collections for over 30 years. People are drawn to
her work because of her ability to reveal the sitter’s inner qualities
with warmth and respect. “Laurie McGaw’s portraits have a lively
attention to detail that definitively captures the fine nuances of her
subject’s personality.”—Signe Ball, Publisher, In
the Hills Magazine.