Heather Cabral aka ‘Elora Dawn’ is a First Nations and Finnish artist. As someone who was creative and yet couldn’t draw, she often admired other peoples’ art and never believed she was or could be an artist.

Last September (2022), Cabral spontaneously took her first official art workshop. Encaustic art, or painting with fire and beeswax, is a versatile medium, allowing her to play as she wandered the woods for inspiration and lovingly embraced her inner artist. Recently Cabral launched ‘Inspired by Nature’ where she helps other non-artists to let go while creating with a focus on the process as opposed to the finished product. Cabral is super excited about this chapter of her journey as an artist and is honoured to be part of a gallery exhibition.

Artist Statement

As an artist who works with encaustic wax, metals, resin, and other mediums, I am still exploring my style, new methods, and am learning how to be patient with myself as I use my hands in ways they have never been used before.

Through my art and workshops, I hope to inspire that both art and life is about the experience and not the outcome. In art, there are no mistakes and like life, a piece is not done until it’s done. When the art has taken a detour, it can be transformed with a little gentleness, flexibility, and curiosity. My art represents my love for and connection with nature and my journey from vicious self-judgement into unconditional self-love.