For as long as I can remember, my mother, Doina Bundaru, has been drawn to beauty and art. As a young woman growing up in Romania, she loved visiting museums and art exhibitions. She always looked at the world with quiet sensitivity—a way of seeing beyond the surface.
But it was only after a successful career as an engineer that she chose, in her 60s, to finally listen to this long-held inner calling: painting. What began as a quiet exploration quickly blossomed into a passionate and prolific artistic journey.
Doina studied painting at the Cummings Centre and the École des beaux-arts in Montreal. In under a decade, her art has been featured in over 50 exhibitions. From solo shows at Victor Rose Espresso Bar to exhibitions at Galerie Gora, Viva Vida Art Gallery, and Bonsecours Market, her presence in Montreal’s art community has grown steadily and meaningfully.
Her work is rich in texture, colour, and movement—her abstract and mixed-media paintings are filled with emotion, layered meaning, and bold expressiveness. Often inspired by daily life, nature, and light—and at times drawing on childhood memories—her pieces combine vibrant acrylics with textured surfaces, unexpected overlays, and spontaneous gestures that breathe life into the canvas.
Paul Klee famously said, “Art does not reproduce the visible; it makes visible.” Doina’s paintings embody that principle. They do more than reflect the world—they reveal something within it.
My mother is proof that reinvention is always possible. Her creativity, curiosity, and boldness continue to inspire me—and many others who encounter her work.
-Written by Horia Bundaru
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Which ’hood are you in?
I live in Kirkland, a suburb of the Island of Montreal. It’s a great neighbourhood, with many green parks, tennis courts, sports facilities, a great public library and local businesses that encourage and support art. I like to go for a walk on Lakeshore, along the St Laurent River, which is not far from where I live, to spend time in nature.
What do you do?
I have an engineering background, but I am looking forward to my retirement at the end of this year, so I can dedicate more time to my art.
As part of several art associations, I participate in many exhibitions during the year.
I like to work in acrylics, incorporating mixed media (my own collage papers, fragments from old books or newspapers, cardboard, sand, etc.), and I explore watercolour, pastel and watercolour pencils, on paper, canvas or wood. I use my sketchbooks to explore new ideas and new techniques.
In summer, I like to go with my husband to other areas outside my neighbourhood, to do ‘plein air’ sketches and get inspired.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently preparing for a few exhibitions: “Art abstrait” at the Galerie Lenoir, “Essence” with the WASM (Women Artists Society of Montreal), “Fires of Autumn” with AIM (Artists In Montreal), and a duo exhibition with my husband in April of 2026.
Where can we find your work?
Website | Instagram | Artists in Montreal
