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Celia Godkin, B.Sc., M.Sc., A.O.C.A.

EDUCATION AND CAREER

Celia Godkin spent her childhood in Brazil, but returned to England, the land of her birth for her high school and undergraduate years. She received a bachelor’s in zoology and then emigrated to Canada, where she worked as a school aide, herpetologist and fisheries biologist before deciding to enter the field of scientific illustration.

After completing an illustrated master’s thesis in zoology and diploma course at the Ontario College of Art, Celia was hired to teach scientific illustration in the Department of Biomedical Communications at the University of Toronto, where she attained the rank of Associate Professor. As well, she has taught many studio arts courses for U of T’s School of Continuing Studies and for the Royal Ontario Museum. She is the recipient of two teaching awards.

In addition to her career as a teacher, Celia has illustrated textbooks and scientific papers and is an author and illustrator of children’s information story books in ecology. Her award winning books are illustrated in a variety of media, including pen & ink, graphite pencil, colour pencil, watercolour, oils and mixed media.

EXHIBITS

SOLO SHOWS:

2000 Arcadia Art Gallery, Toronto
1999 Link Gallery, Civic Garden Centre, Toronto
1997 Toose Art Gallery, Toronto
1994 Bancroft Art Gallery, Bancroft, Ont.

Celia has participated in group shows with the Botanical Artists of Canada, the Canadian Opera Company’s Volunteer Committee, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Canadian Society of Children’s Author’s Illustrators and Performers as well as various informal artists collectives. In Toronto, her works have been seen at the O’Keefe Centre, the Main Reference Library, the Royal Ontario Museum, York University, Harbourfront Center, Gallery 503, the Academy of Spherical Arts and the Ontario College of Art Gallery. She has participated in group shows across Canada from BC to Newfoundland and internationally as far away as Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the Bologna Fiere Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, Italy, and the Taiwan Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.

WEBSITES

For further information about Celia’s publications, check the following websites:
http://www.canscaip.org/bios/godkinc.html
http://www.writersunion.ca/g/godkin.htm

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Celia’s work, both as artist and educator, has evolved out of a profound respect for nature in all its forms, and a desire to see those forms preserved for future generations to enjoy. She hopes, through her teaching and most especially through her work in children’s literature, to inspire others with the same appreciation for the beauty of nature as she has herself, and thereby encourage others to work for its preservation.

(613) 275-7204
celiagodkin[at]ripnet.com

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