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Deborah tilby SFCA, OPAM, AAPL

@deborahtilby

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Canadian painter living on Vancouver Island. Any questions or to purchase: [email protected]

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You paint from a photo and the shadows come out like black holes. That’s the camera, not your eye.

Deborah Tilby (@deborahtilby) · Mastrius Master Mentor, Oil Painters of America · Senior Signature Member, Federation of Canadian Artists

She names the mistake painters make when they copy a photo as-is:

“They’ve made them black when they’re not really black.”

Photos push darks darker and lights lighter. Her fix from the same talk:

“If the light is warm the shadows will be cool, but you still have to have a little bit of the local color showing through the shadow.”

A shadow on green grass still has green in it. Next time you paint a sky, squint at it first. It’s probably lighter than you think.

From our live panel “Use Reference Photos Like a Pro” with Deborah Tilby and Anne Kullaf. The full conversation is in the Event Recording Library.

New to Mastrius?

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Link in bio.

#oilpainting #paintingtips #referencephotos #landscapepainting #mastrius

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Can’t make it to the gallery today? Let us bring the gallery to you!

Start your weekend with a little virtual walkthrough of our gallery and take in some of the beautiful works that are currently on display! We hope they bring you inspiration and joy 💛

#fineartfriday #westcoastart #fineart #virtualgallery #beautyiseverywhere

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Congratulations to the winners of the 35th Annual Oil Painters of America (OPA) National Exhibition which took place from May to August 2026 and was hosted @steamboatartmuseum

35th National Exhibition Associate & Signature Division - Robin Cole, Mary's Roses
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35th National Exhibition Master Signature Division - Deborah Tilby OPAM, Resonance
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Wet Paint Competition Plein Air Division - Aaron Schuerr, Spring Awakening
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Wet Paint Competition Studio Division - Courtney Lunt, Courage
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2026 National Salon: Exhibition of Small Paintings - Kathleen Coy, Leonard 🔴

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We were thrilled to see some of our wonderful artists sharing and connecting with art lovers at the Moss Street Paint-In event over the weekend.

If you missed the event, or would like to see more works from these artists, they are featured year-round at our gallery, where you’ll find a wide selection of their original works!

“An Early Winter Morning”, Deborah Tilby, 20”x 16”, Oil

#mossstreetpaintin #westcoastart #artcommunity #localart #sidneybc

We were thrilled to see some of our wonderful artists sharing and connecting with art lovers at the Moss Street Paint-In event over the weekend.

If you missed the event, or would like to see more works from these artists, they are featured year-round at our gallery, where you’ll find a wide selection of their original works!

“Calm and Quiet”, Sandhu Singh, 21.5” x 14.5”, Watercolour

#mossstreetpaintin #westcoastart #artcommunity #localart #sidneybc

We were thrilled to see some of our wonderful artists sharing and connecting with art lovers at the Moss Street Paint-In event over the weekend.

If you missed the event, or would like to see more works from these artists, they are featured year-round at our gallery, where you’ll find a wide selection of their original works!

“Polly”, Marie Kajdasz, 15” x 7”, Fibre

“Francoise”, Marie Kajdasz, 14” x 6.5”, Fibre

#mossstreetpaintin #westcoastart #artcommunity #localart #sidneybc

We were thrilled to see some of our wonderful artists sharing and connecting with art lovers at the Moss Street Paint-In event over the weekend.

If you missed the event, or would like to see more works from these artists, they are featured year-round at our gallery, where you’ll find a wide selection of their original works!

“Sunlit Splendor”, Sandy Terry, 40” x 30”, Acrylic

#mossstreetpaintin #westcoastart #artcommunity #localart #sidneybc

We were thrilled to see some of our wonderful artists sharing and connecting with art lovers at the Moss Street Paint-In event over the weekend.

If you missed the event, or would like to see more works from these artists, they are featured year-round at our gallery, where you’ll find a wide selection of their original works!

#mossstreetpai

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Critique with Deborah Tilby
Date: Monday, February 23, 2026
Mix and Mingle: 12:30pm - 1pm
Critique: 1 - 3:00pm
Location: Cedar Hill Recreation Centre, Art Room 2

Join us for our upcoming critique session, led by the accomplished artist Deborah Tilby SFCA, OPAM. Deborah brings a wealth of experience and insight, and we’re delighted to have her guide what is always a thoughtful, supportive, and engaging exchange.
Members are welcome to bring up to two pieces for critique.

If you are interested in joining the FCA Victoria chapter, visit www.victoriafca.ca or see the links in the bio for information.

#vancouverislandartist #bcartist #canadianart #federationofcanadianartists #victoriafca @deborahtilby

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From tranquil waters to boats at rest, the beauty of boats and water comes alive in these artworks! Visit us at the gallery or follow the link in our bio to see more. This exhibition ends October 11th, don’t miss out!! @oilpaintersofamerica #oilpainting #beverlymcneilgallery #paitingsofwater #paintingsofboats #paintingsofthebeach

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Deborah Tilby is an award-winning impressionist painter originally from England and now based in Victoria, British Columbia. She’s known for her luminous, quietly expressive landscapes and coastal scenes.
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#canadianartists #canadianart #featuredartists #impressionistart #landscapeart

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Another one in progress today, we are studying waves crashing on the rocks this month in my Mentorship group with @deborahtilby through @mastrius.official …a couple of spots have opened up in this online mentorship group, the link is in my bio for more info. #workinprogress #crashingwaves #oilonboard #oilpainting #yycartist #artistmentor

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Canvas Conversations: Sign up for your Critique!
A reminder of a growth opportunity for our members: a unique chance to receive individualized feedback from an artist of your choice.

As professional artists we continue to learn throughout our careers. Wouldn’t you love to receive expert advice on how to achieve a higher level with your artwork? Several acclaimed AAPL members are generously giving their time and expertise to offer personalized feedback to their fellow members

Included among the critiquing artists are Grand National Exhibit winners, Signature Members, and artists with representation at premier galleries around the country.
Your donation to secure a critique will, in turn, benefit your peers at the AAPL…members helping members!

Here are the artists currently available to critique your work for a small donation to AAPL. These artists will only be available for a limited time so please sign up promptly if interested!

Wishing you all a wonderful spring full of artistic endeavors!

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In progress on my easel! We’re painting waves crashing on rocks this month in my @mastrius.official Artist Mentorship group with @deborahtilby so I thought I would video my start! This is about an hour in and you can see at the end things start to get muddy so time to step away for a bit. Stay tuned to see more progress! We have a couple of spots available in our online mentorship group, the link with full info is in my bio. #workinprogress #oilpainting #seascape #mastriusartist #yycartist #albertaartist #originalartwork #paintinginprogress

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We are happy to announce NOAPS 3rd Place Winner: Deborah Tilby, for her painting, "Winter Trees" ⁠
CONGRATULATIONS Deborah! And congrats to all artists in this years' Spring Online International!⁠
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See all selected works and award winners at https://www.noaps.org/2025-spring-on-line

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It is Happening! Tomorrow (Sat June 7th) from 1pm we start celebrating the relocation and reopening of our gallery! Many artists will attend. Come and join the party!

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