Marianna Newkirk, Ph.

Originally from Chatham, Ontario, and currently residing in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Marianna Newkirk took her first steps into the world of art at a very young age, winning a coloring contest (the prize for which was a Jiminy Cricket figurine) before even starting school. Although she pursued a science and mathematics education, she continued to practice art. She took private oil painting lessons from two different artists in the Chatham, Ontario area during her elementary and high school years. She also won a poster contest for the United Way's "Red Feather" campaign while still young. During her PhD in immunology at the University of Toronto, she took several courses at the Ontario College of Art and Design. She was recruited by McGill University in 1984 and directed a research laboratory at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) for many years.

During the last six years of her career at McGill, before retiring, she served as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, responsible for research. Despite a demanding schedule, she continued to practice her art and learn new techniques (encaustic, silk painting, alcohol ink). Since her retirement in 2014, she has been able to devote much more time to her artistic and creative pursuits. She enjoys working with various media, including acrylics, encaustic, alcohol ink, and cross-stitch on canvas. She has exhibited her work on several occasions with the Société des femmes artistes de Montréal (Society of Women Artists of Montreal).

In summary, her interest in artistic creation manifested itself from a very young age and she has always been stimulated by colors, patterns and composition, and particularly enjoys experimenting with various mediums.

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