01/11/2026
A new bio!
Based in Merville in British Columbia’s Comox Valley, Fiona McQuillan is a mosaic artist whose work is deeply influenced by natural spaces, particularly the region’s marine environment. Her mosaics—created as garden stones and wall panels—invite close looking and physical engagement, blurring the boundary between art, landscape, and everyday life.
Working in both abstract and representational forms, Fiona draws inspiration from the rhythms, textures, and movement of the coastal environment, alongside a fascination with the human stories embedded in found objects. Fragments of watches, jewelry, broken pottery, plastic beads, and other reclaimed materials appear alongside beach-collected pebbles, precious stones, and extensive use of broken and cut mirror. These materials carry their own histories—of time, wear, loss, and transformation—which are reassembled into new visual narratives.
Mosaic has been a lifelong draw for Fiona, rooted in its rich history across ancient cultures and its remarkable durability as an art form. She is particularly captivated by mosaic’s tactile nature—the way it invites touch and rewards curiosity, especially for children. Her work embraces the idea that broken or discarded objects can find renewed purpose, becoming integral elements of a cohesive whole. The varied reflective qualities of her materials—from matte stone to gleaming rhinestones and mirror—allow each piece to shift in appearance as light changes throughout the day, creating a dynamic and evolving viewing experience.
With a background in graphic design, Fiona brings a strong sense of composition, pattern, and visual balance to her practice. Her training as a geologist further informs her material choices and deep appreciation for stone, minerals, stratigraphy, and the slow processes of the natural world. Together, these influences shape work that is both intentional and playful, grounded and exploratory.
Fiona hopes her mosaics spark joy and a sense of childlike wonder—offering viewers a moment of visual escape, a tactile experience, and a quiet invitation to pause. She was a participating artist in the Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Art Studio Tour for many years and was an exhibiting artist at the Filberg Festival in 2022.
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