Most artists, male or female, do not get the Order of Ontario and their own gallery dedicated to their work. But Trisha Romance is no ordinary artist.
Romance, acclaimed for Christmas and family life paintings, among others, and a longtime former resident of the historical McArthur Estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake, said she views herself as a woman artist, rather than an artist who happens to be a woman.
By this, she means her femininity gives her an important perspective on her work.
“I am very much a female artist,” she said. “I am proud about that, about especially since my work is so family-oriented as a mother, so my greatest inspirations are from motherhood, and I don’t think that that can be replaced by a man.”
Her contribution to being a woman in the visual arts were recognized last Friday when Women in Niagara and the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce honoured Romance at their International Women’s Day conference in Niagara Falls.
She received their International Women’s Day award and also speak at the sold-out event.
Romance said she was “humbled” by the recognition.
“I was at first taken aback and said, ‘Oh my goodness, why me?’” she said. “I look at so many different other women … that could be in this place.”
Born in 1951 in Hamburg, N.Y., Romance moved to Canada to attend Sheridan College of Art and Design. She grew up during what she described as the “Pollyanna” period of postwar Canadian life.
Her parents encouraged her to “stay in your lane,” meaning to follow the path that made her happy and commit to it, regardless of sex, she said.
“I was very, very, very fortunate growing up with the parents that I had,” she said. “There were four girls in our family. I never had a brother. So, I didn’t even know what it was like growing up in a true man’s world.”
Outside her home, however, she said artistic ambition, especially for women, was often dismissed with the stereotype of the “starving artist.” She said it was seen as more of a hobby than a career for women.
She recalled reluctantly participating in a high school beauty pageant where students selected a king and queen. During the event, she was asked, “If you were a man, what career would you choose?”
“I thought it was a trick question,” said Romance. “I had grown up with ‘You could be anything.’”
She responded that she wanted to be an artist and did not see a division between men’s and women’s careers, a comment that drew cheers from the audience.
Romance said a supportive woman art teacher approached her parents to encourage them to support their daughter’s artistic ambitions. That support helped lead her to Sheridan College of Art and Design, which she described as a springboard for her career.
Despite the attitudes of the time, Romance said she did not view obstacles as struggles. A student of history, she drew inspiration from women artists and writers whose work was rejected because of their sex and who wrote under male names to be taken seriously.
She said she feels fortunate her experience was not as harsh.
“I am just so blessed that I did have the life that I had,” said Romance. “And that journey has been made … better and more simple because of the inspiration that they’ve given.”
Motherhood has also been a major source of inspiration, she said, adding that raising children and pursuing a career are not mutually exclusive.
“There’s a place for every woman in every career,” she said.
Romance said she has passed along her parents’ advice to “stay in their lane” to her son and two daughters.
One daughter, Tanya Peterson, now runs the Niagara Image Gallery with her husband, Jordan Morrison, which keeps a lot of Romance’s work.
Her other daughter, Whitney Fowler, owns the Carolinian Café in Cayuga with her husband, Jordan Fowler, as well as a second Carolinian Café location in Hagersville.
Romance said she feels blessed to receive recognition for her work as a female artist and is proud of what women accomplish.
“I’m going to be looking out on that audience and thinking ‘every single one of you deserves this,’” she said.
“Women could run the world. I’m convinced of that.”
