The adage “It’s who you know” may be based on reality, but it’s what you do after the connection is made that really counts.

In the case of Angela Hardy, a fellow artist suggested she enter an international competition to show her work in Paris. Her painting, The Periodic Motion of Venus, was selected by the prestigious Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts (SNBA) for its exhibit at Carrousel du Louvre à Paris, an annex of the Louvre, in December.

“It’s a historic society,” said Hardy of the 156-year-old SNBA. Early members included Delacroix, Doré and Manet. The society stamps the back of paintings. By the end of the show it will be seen by 15,000 visitors. “The magnitude of money invested in art – it’s a big deal for women getting into the old boys’ club,” she said. The honour has also boosted Hardy’s sales.

Forging new paths is appropriate for her work. The Periodic Motion of Venus is part of a series she is creating called Indestructible Women. “Each one is telling the story of individual women perceived as a goddess,” she said. “They have gone over huge hurdles. They were an average person with ‘mortal’ problems. I want people to understand we can achieve higher goals.”

The acrylic paintings in the series will be scanned for prints and published in a book with the stories of each model. Hardy painted herself as Venus. “It tells the story of me in the confines of Venus – constant reflection and mirror images. It reflects various stages of life, how we become stronger. The seafoam waves represent the birth of Venus.” The painting references symbols of her mythology, including stars (her celestial form), myrtle, swans, doves and mirrors.

At the core of the narrative is respect. When people view her paintings, Hardy wants them to feel that quality. “I want them to feel reverence for each other, to have the grace and understanding to accept each person as they are, to show by example.”

The SNBA show symbolizes part of Hardy’s acceptance as an artist, a woman. “Paris is the tip of the iceberg to gain the exposure women should have for their stories,” she said.

Now living in St. Thomas, the Labrador native has spent time in Spain, Germany, Chicago and Quebec. Her paintings reflect her life or, as she says in her artist statement: “travels that never take us in straight lines.” From Wabush to Paris.