Paola Syme
A west coast artist and illustrator creating 2D and 3D art using repeating patterns and bold graphics with contrasting scales to express interconnections between all things.
Biography
Selling art in White Rock, 1994
Evolution
Growing up
I came to Canada from the Netherlands with my parents when I was a baby. I grew up in Surrey, BC and loved to draw. I took every art class I could in school including continuing studies classes outside school hours. My passion was watercolour and I spent at least one summer in my late teens selling art work at White Rock pier as part of their Art Walk program.
Artwork on display in Vancouver, 2001
Early Days
1998-2008
While training to be a graphic designer I learned how to draw vector images with bold simplicity. I made glicée prints framed in light boxes and displayed them at galleries and lounges across Vancouver. Themes ranged from observations of the consumer world to existential questions, and escape into nature.
A publisher saw my work at an art show and offered me a book deal. From there, I’ve had over a dozen books published under the pen name Paola Opal, including the Simply Small series.
Mid-Career
2009-2024
Mid-career was heavily focused on my graphic design profession, creating visual designs—on time and on budget—for a wide variety of projects including themed attractions, corporate marketing and more. I also taught and coordinated graphic design courses at Emily Carr University and Vancouver Film School.
With AI making graphic design as I know it a relic of the past, I have made the move to return to my first love, art.
Public art installation, Surrey, 2024
Recent Works
2024-Present
My recent works are a joyful expression of the interconnectedness of all things, using bold lines and repeating patterns at different scales with local west coast themes. I use a mixture of traditional and digital media to create art prints as well as 3D printed designs that are hand-painted. I still do the occasional watercolour too!