Catherine Perehudoff Fowler and Rebecca Perehudoff have never known a life without art.
Raised in a household where canvases, charcoal and clay were as common as cutlery, the sisters grew up watching their mother bring landscapes to life. Art wasn’t just a hobby for the Perehudoff sisters, it was as natural as breathing.
For Catherine, this early artistic exposure led to a love of texture and technique. After high school, she studied textiles and weaving in Norway before returning to Canada, where she honed her skills in watercolour and landscape painting. Rebecca, on the other hand, earned a law degree before realizing that for her, reading casebooks paled in comparison to the pull of the paintbrush.
Now, after years of exhibiting separately, the Perehudoff sisters come together for the first time in a dual exhibition at the Miller Art Gallery.
“I think [this exhibition] will be a relaxing time to appreciate each other’s work,” Rebecca says.
Though they often painted side by side growing up, their work diverges in distinct ways. Catherine’s paintings are steeped in emotion, her watercolours capturing shifting light, rolling mist and the fleeting drama of the atmosphere.
“I like painting mist, images after a rain, and lots of clouds,” she says. “I do like a mood evoking image to paint. And I find that a lot of fun, in a way. A challenge, but great fun.”
Rebecca, in contrast, embraces the raw energy of the outdoors.
“Whatever I’m feeling goes directly onto the canvas — there are not a lot of filters,” she says. “Sometimes, that works. And sometimes, it doesn’t. In every artist, I think it’s embedded [within us] that we were born with our distinct styles.”
Despite their stylistic differences, the sisters share an unwavering connection to the land. Catherine’s subjects range from the rugged peaks of Alberta’s Rockies to Saskatchewan’s golden prairies to the misty shores of Nova Scotia.
“Each province really has something to offer visually, and something different to offer in terms of experience.”
Rebecca, meanwhile, seeks out landscapes that raise questions.
“I think [question asking] is just in our DNA,” she says. “Our ancestors, throughout all ages, had asked questions of nature: ‘Is it safe to be here?’ ‘Is this a good place to stop?’ ‘What are the trees saying to me?’ ‘What would they like to say if they could?’ Your imagination goes wild.”
This exhibition is more than just a showcase — it’s a celebration of a shared artistic journey that has spanned decades and provinces.
“We have had work in group shows together, but nothing like this,” Catherine says. “We’re quite excited and looking forward to [exhibiting in] the beautiful space.”
In the Miller Art Gallery, each sister will have her own gallery space. Catherine’s collection will feature works from her artist residency in Nova Scotia, where she painted serene landscapes of overlooking lush forests and Crystal Crescent Beach. Her wildflower scenes also draw from Saskatchewan and from Alberta’s Kananaskis. Rebecca’s pieces, primarily inspired by her time in Illinois and Saskatchewan, include intimate landscapes, a dramatic storm in Sedona, and evocative forest scenes from Saskatchewan’s Emma Lake.
The Perehudoff sisters bring their love for nature to life in their dual Miller Art Gallery exhibitions. Catch them in full colour from March 13 to April 20.
