We were recently introduced to Alexandra Levasseur‘s lush, mixed-media artworks that explore the artist’s shifting moods in response to the brutal weather changes in her native Montreal. The French-Canadian artist recently directed a poetic animation titled “Playing with Fire” that puts the dreamlike qualities of her artwork into motion. The short film is somewhere between narrative and abstract, placing us into a fantastical realm of lonely, tragic beauties. Take a look at the animation and some accompanying artworks after the jump!

A keen observer, Canadian artist Alexandra Levasseur creates drawings of female figures that respond to the nature. Since last year, she has been developing a project titled “One Drawing a Day,” which investigates the artist’s physical and emotional changes in response to her surroundings. Each piece in the series completed in roughly one day, channeling spontaneous feelings and environmental responses into the page. “When the fall comes, the body is looking for physical comfort. The feminine figures represented find themselves surrounded with wool clothes, blankets and pillows,” Levasseur wrote on her website. Read more after the jump!

Last weekend, San Francisco’s Mirus Gallery opened their group show, “The Looking Glass: Refraction through the Female Gaze.” Focused on female painters who create figurative works featuring primarily female subjects, the show demonstrated a diverse array of perspectives on the portrayal of femininity in the art world. Stand-out pieces included Alexandra Levasseur’s mixed-media works that reflect wintertime solitude and Sandra Chevrier’s colorful, expressive portraits. The complete roster of artists includes Kimberly Brooks, Sandra Chevrier, Naja Conrad-Hansen, Mercedes Helnwein, Alexandra Levasseur, Jen Mann, Sari Maxfield, Alyssa Monks, Jennifer Nehrbass, Casey O’Connell, Claire Pestaille, Rachel Walker, Janelle Wisehart and Christine Wu. Take a look at our exclusive opening night photos after the jump and check out the show before it closes on March 2.

While the percentage of female subjects depicted by male artists is disproportionately high in art history, Mirus Gallery aims to subvert the ever-present male gaze in Western art for the next exhibition, “The Looking Glass: Refraction through the Female Gaze.” Opening February 9, this group exhibition features female painters who depict female subjects in their work. The line-up of exhibiting artists include Kimberly Brooks, Sandra Chevrier, Naja Conrad-Hansen, Mercedes Helnwein, Alexandra Levasseur, Jen Mann, Sari Maxfield, Alyssa Monks, Jennifer Nehrbass, Casey O’Connell, Claire Pestaille, Rachel Walker, Janelle Wisehart and Christine Wu. Rather than portraying the female form as merely delicate or seductive, these artists challenge the norms of depicting the female body, using portraits of the so-called fairer sex to explore both cultural and personal themes. Take a look at our preview of “The Looking Glass” after the jump, images courtesy of Mirus Gallery.