Maxine McCrann

The American artist Maxine McCrann was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, but currently resides in Toronto, Canada, where she finds space and solace to channel her creativity into captivating works of art.

“Growing up in New York in the 1990s and 2000s was bold and loud and full of art and music and colour that have always stayed with me. Toronto is also wonderful: it is so many of the parts of New York that I love, while feeling communal and much calmer. I feel so peaceful and safe here, which has been amazing for focusing on my art,” she explains.

Prior to pursuing a career as a full-time artist, she worked as a floral designer and flower farmer in Detroit. The transition from adorning tables with flowers to expressing herself through blooms on canvas was a natural evolution, driven by a love for creating aesthetically pleasing spaces and moments.

A Kitchen Setting

Fascinated by the beauty in everyday objects, Maxine’s work often revolves around still life compositions, capturing the essence of domestic spaces and personal rituals. “I love seeing how people use their own homes. My friends’ dining tables and kitchens always bring me so much inspiration as an artist. I love seeing what they invest in: do they buy flowers every week? Or buy only the most beautiful fruit and vegetables at the farmers market? Do they love thrifting linens, vases, flatware..? I just love how we all have a space we use for eating and relaxing, but they all look so incredibly different,” Maxine says.

Influenced by folk art, fauvism and impressionism, her artworks evoke mood and emotion. From sketching at the kitchen table to painting on canvas, each piece is the result of a moment of inspiration, whether sparked by a familiar object or a fleeting observation.