Marine Aimée – Emerging Artist of the Year 2026

Jury Motivation

Marine Aimée is selected for a deeply introspective and emotionally articulate body of work. Her paintings navigate themes of grief, healing and human complexity with both sensitivity and formal strength, allowing figuration and abstraction to coexist in a compelling way. The jury especially valued the emotional intelligence of her practice and her ability to create images that feel intimate, layered and profoundly human.

Upon winning the award, Marine said:

"I was absolutely surprised to hear I had won the award! The fact I had been a nominee in the Emerging Artist category already felt like a massive win for my artistic journey. It reaffirmed that I was on the right path, and that others were connecting with my work and vision as well. When I heard the news that I had won in my category, I was beyond thrilled and emotional and in disbelief because I was up against so many amazing artists in their own right."

About Marine's Work

Marine paints from a studio in Calgary in Canada: "I love having a quiet space to create because so much of my work is rooted in reflection and emotion. The landscape here has a sense of openness to it, which I think mirrors the space I try to create through my work. Somewhere people can slow down, connect with themselves, and simply feel."

After trying several different career paths, including a degree in archaeology Marine began to paint to process a difficult breakup, and committed to painting full-time around three years ago. "My background in archaeology has stayed with me in interesting ways. I still find myself fascinated by the human body, anatomy, and the way emotion lives physically within us. At the heart of everything I create is the belief that our most difficult experiences can also become places of growth and transformation. If one of my paintings helps someone feel a little more seen, understood, or less alone, then it's done exactly what I hoped it would."

"A lot of my work sits in the space between vulnerability and strength. I'm interested in the emotions we don't always have words for, the quiet moments of self-discovery, the tension of becoming, and the stories we carry beneath the surface."