Renee was born in Trenton, Nova Scotia, and has been painting and sketching since early childhood. She studied art throughout school, and since coming to Newfoundland studied with various artists, including Clifford George, and has taken a number of watercolor and etching courses.

While Renee's passion is painting animals, she is deeply touched and inspired by the many moods, colors and the wonderful places Newfoundland has to offer, and also enjoys painting different subjects including landscapes, florals, and traditional outport scenes.

"I am a naturalist," she says. "And I have a great passion for nature, it's what makes life interesting for me. I enjoy the world around me and love the natural world. I try to soak up as much detail as possible and portray it back into my paintings. I try to give importance to every thing.

Each piece I paint has inspired me in a different way than the previous. I sometimes look for a story within the subject(s) from which I have chosen to paint. I love the challenge of bringing it to life in front of me. I hope my paintings tell their story to onlookers."

Renee is an executive member of the Whiteway March Hare Committee and helped to organize a major March Hare event in honor of Al Pittman in March 2008. She also exhibited at this event, where artists from all over the province participated.

Every year Renee donates paintings to the Trinity Conception Placentia Health Foundation and the Arthritis Society to assist those organizations in their fundraising efforts. CBC  has recently filmed a show on Renee, it will be aired in the fall. Her paintings have been sold all across Canada and are in many private collections.

Website: http://www.reneebutlerharnum.com/