Marine Aimée

Marine Aimée (b.1994) is a contemporary oil painter based in Calgary, Canada whose practice lives between figurative and soft abstract expression. Her work often navigating themes of grief, healing, and emotional transformation. Heavily drawn to the private and transitional moments of being human, her paintings reveal quiet, psychological spaces informed by memory and lived experience.

Marine grew up between France and Canada, and has always been observant of the people, details, and landscapes that surround her. She found herself fascinated by why we become who we are and how our experiences shape us. She later studied archaeology and biological anthropology at the University of Calgary where she developed a deep appreciation for anatomy, the human form, and the way art and culture have been expressed throughout history.

She found herself especially drawn to anatomical sketches and the human form, which in hindsight felt like an early sign of where she would eventually land. Even then, Marine was fascinated by the intersection of structure, emotion, and storytelling.

Before painting full-time, she explored various career paths including a decade in hospitality, and some time in recruiting and administration. Much of that work entailed working closely with people, learning to analyze and read emotions, and exposed her to a variety of different perspectives. Those experiences and the growth gained throughout continue to shape her practice today.

Marine began painting in her mid-twenties, using it as a personal tool to help her make sense of heavy emotions she struggled with. What started as a coping mechanism turned into something much deeper, a way for her to express emotional honesty in a way that creates connection, reflection and understanding.

While her work is deeply rooted in her own personal journey, she creates a universal visual language of emotions that connects us all.

Her practice is a balance of intention and intuition. Some of Marine’s favourite moments happen when she allows the painting to evolve naturally and respond to what it's asking for rather than forcing it to become something it isn't. Rather than painting exactly what something looks like, Aimée thrives on exploring what something feels like. Her work often blends expressive mark-making with the human figure, shaping a relationship between structure and emotion.

She ultimately hopes that her paintings feel like mirrors, where anyone can stand in front of a piece and recognize a part of themselves, even if they can't quite explain why.