20 Contemporary Canadian Artists to Collect Right Now

An Artist’s Perspective on Collecting Canadian Art

Do professional artists collect other artists’ work? Hell yes, we do!

Many of us were born with a love of art, and that passion doesn’t disappear when we step into the studio. If anything, making art gives us an even greater appreciation for what other artists do. We understand the hours of work, the experimentation, the failures, the breakthroughs and the sheer determination that go into creating something original.

Alongside collecting my own work, I collect work by other artists, primarily painters and predominantly Canadian. Some pieces have been purchased, others acquired through trades or auctions, and some have come home with me after discovering an artist in a gallery or online. Every work has a story, and I love living with art created by people whose imaginations, techniques and perspectives differ from my own.

As a Canadian artist, I am particularly drawn to the diversity of contemporary art being made across this country. From bold Indigenous imagery and psychologically charged figurative painting to abstract landscapes, experimental photography and intricate textile work, Canadian artists are creating work that deserves attention.

So, if I were adding to my collection today, these are twenty contemporary Canadian artists whose work I would be excited to bring home. This is a personal selection based on my appreciation of their work, not a ranking. Each artist offers something distinctive, and I encourage you to explore their work for yourself.

1. Terry McCue is an Ojibway artist from the Curve Lake First Nation, in southeastern Ontario. I love his use of colour and subject matter. Bold and graphically pleasing contemporary Indigenous artworks. Canada House Gallery, Banff, Alberta Canada
2. Marsha Schuld is a multi-media artist working out of her studio in southern Saskatchewan. I love her clay crows and owls as well as her distinctive embroidery pieces. She received a second to none education from the skilled tutors at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN).  The result is a proudly earned Certification with Merit from the people who embroider the Queen’s coronation robes.  Willock & Sax, Banff Alberta  Canada
3. Luther Pokrant his illustration work is thematic or historical, often of other artists or their work, or the creative process itself. I love his use of colour, his dreamy subject matter and palettes and his visual storytelling. Mayberry Fine Art, Winnipeg
4. Diana Thorneycroft is a Winnipeg artist and photographer who became known for her installation photographs and re-creations of Group of Seven paintings. She brings humour to the socio-political commentary and stories she is weaving through her detailed photographs. Michael Gibson Gallery, London Ontario
5. Winnie Truong is a Toronto artist working with drawing and animation to explore ideas of identity, feminism, and fantasy and finding its connections and transgressions in the natural world. I love her drawings, they are precise designs with feminine treasures and stories held within. Patel Brown Gallery, Toronto Canada
6. Mike Hansen is a senior Canadian artist who uses sound and noise to develop artworks in various mediums. He is well known as an established colourist painter, sound artist and experimental musician. His body of work explores the visualization of sound and noise. While I love his large abstract paintings of colour and form, I was quite intrigued by his upholstered pieces that I slept under at the Pouch Cove residency in Newfoundland. James Baird Gallery, Newfoundland
7. Andrew Valko is a well-known Canadian Hyper-Realist whose paintings explore the psychological tension caused by observation. Layered with open-ended ambiguity, his compositions subtly weave narratives that imply that there is much more than meets the eye. The works are set in neon-lit motels, drive-in theatres and parking lots; it is in these transient locations that Valko captures intense moments that tell an unfinished story. Louis K. Meisel Gallery, NYC
8. Daren Whalen more often the subject of his paintings are people. Intensely detailed and beautiful figurative paintings that tell stories of Newfoundland. Emma Butler Gallery, Newfoundland, Canada
9. Kent Monkman is an interdisciplinary Cree visual artist. A member of Fisher River Cree Nation in Treaty 5 Territory (Manitoba), he lives and works in New York City and Toronto. Gender fluid, Indigenous commentaries on colonialism, realistic visual stories fused with fantasy and magic. Artists’ website.
10. Kim Dorland’s practice reflects a fascination with the enigmatic Canadian landscape as it comes into contact with contemporary urban experience. The psychological atmosphere represented by Dorland is confrontational and hallucinatory, disrupting conventional ideas that the natural world is a place of solace and contemplation. His paintings fascinate me and I am drawn to the sometimes fluorescent palettes and dark imagery. Another painter that tells visual stories in his work. Angell Gallery, Toronto Canada
11. Karel Funk lives and works in Winnipeg, Canada. Contemporary urbanism, technical figurative paintings, backs of hoodies, jackets and hats, they draw you into his paintings. The minimalism and cool tones add to the mystery of who might be wearing those clothes. Monte Clark Gallery, Vancouver BC
12. David Pirrie – obsessed with mountain’s, this painter offers a contemporary pop art style take on these marvelous beauties. Meticulously rendered and fused with vivid colours and distinctive patterns. Ian Tan Gallery, Vancouver BC
13. Eric Louie is a Vancouver-based painter whose vibrant compositions are being recognized by numerous collectors both public and private. His signature metallic, shimmering forms, achieved via many thin layers of luminescent glazes, are central to the virtual worlds he creates. These abstract paintings are somewhat transcendental in nature. They are metallic meditations on the rythyms of nature.  Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto Ontario
14. Shawn Serfas – thick and juicy, vivid and dimensional, buttery and sculptural, his abstracts are a treat to delve into. – Sopa Fine Arts, Kelowna BC
15. Catherine Blackburn – contemporary Indigenous beadwork and living sculptures. Artist website.
16. Curtis Cutshaw – textual abstracts of sculptural collage, makes me want to stare for hours and try and find the words within. Kostiuk Gallery, Vancouver BC
17. Luke Ramsay – magical landscapes and west coast FERRY tales of form and pastel palettes Madrona Gallery, Victoria BC
18. Angela Grossman – human figures and ephemeral layers of letters, photographs, addresses, envelopes, postage and cancellation marks. Herringer Kiss Gallery Calgary, AB
19. Steve Driscoll – creates fine art using unorthodox materials. I find his abstract searing landscapes Hockney-esque and glossy.  – Peter Robertson Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
20. Bob Kebic – Group Of Seven-esque, textural and vivid abstract landscapes. They male you feel alive and joyful. They make you smile every time you see them. Mayberry Fine Art, Winnipeg, Canada

Why Collect My Work? A Contemporary Canadian Artist’s Perspective

After spending so much time talking about the artists I admire and would love to collect, it seems only fair to turn the question around.

Why should you consider collecting my work?

I have spent more than two decades developing a distinctive visual language around Canadian culture, identity, landscape and the symbols that shape our collective imagination. Since leaving full-time employment in 2006 to pursue my art career, I have created hundreds of paintings exploring what it means to be Canadian, from the familiar iconography of hockey, the Hudson’s Bay point blanket and the maple leaf to wildlife, changing landscapes, politics and the complexities of our national identity.

My work sits at the intersection of pop art, figurative painting and contemporary Canadian storytelling. I am not interested in simply reproducing the landscape. I want to tell stories about it, using figures, icons, colour and mythology to explore the relationship between people and place.

I am obsessed with the iconography of Canada, and I am in turn creating my own.

Here are a few reasons to consider adding an original Brandy Saturley painting to your collection.

1. A Distinctive and Recognizable Artistic Vision

I have spent years developing a visual language that is recognizably my own. Bold graphic shapes, saturated colours, carefully chosen symbols and narrative compositions come together to explore the Canadian experience in ways that are both familiar and unexpected.

A painting should do more than fill a space on a wall. It should offer a perspective, start a conversation and continue to reveal something new over time. My goal is to create work that does exactly that.

2. A Growing Body of Work With a Clear Cultural Focus

My paintings explore Canadian identity through multiple lenses: popular culture, history, politics, wildlife, the environment and the changing relationship between Canadians and the land they inhabit.

The work has evolved over the years, but the central question remains: what does it mean to be Canadian?

Collecting an original painting means becoming part of that ongoing visual conversation. It also means owning a piece of a developing body of work that documents how our culture, our country and our understanding of ourselves continue to change.

3. An Established Career and a Track Record of Recognition

Building an art career takes persistence, experimentation and time. Since becoming a full-time artist in 2006, I have developed gallery relationships in Canada and internationally, exhibited my work, participated in residencies and built a growing collector base.

My career has also included recognition from arts organizations and publications, public and private collections, and projects that have extended beyond the studio. My paintings have entered collections including the Colart Collection / Rossy Family Trust, Canadian Tire, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and other corporate and institutional collections.

These milestones provide context for my work and its place within contemporary Canadian art. For collectors, an artist’s exhibition history, professional development, representation and continued production can all be useful considerations when deciding which original works to acquire.

4. Original Art With a Story to Tell

Many of my paintings begin with an idea, a memory, a cultural symbol or a question about Canada. Some explore the mythology surrounding the Canadian landscape. Others examine our relationship with wildlife, national identity or the objects and images that have become part of our shared visual vocabulary.

I want my paintings to have a life beyond the moment they are created. I want them to spark recognition, curiosity, debate and sometimes a little discomfort.

When you collect an original work, you are acquiring something with its own history, material presence and place within my larger practice. You are also choosing to live with a story that may become part of your own.

5. An Opportunity to Collect at Different Stages of My Career

My practice continues to evolve, with new subjects, series and approaches emerging alongside recurring themes. For collectors, this offers an opportunity to explore different periods of my work and discover the paintings that resonate most strongly with them.

Some collectors are drawn to my iconic Canadian imagery. Others prefer my wildlife paintings, narrative figures, landscapes or works that explore more personal and contemplative themes.

There is no single right way to collect my work. The right painting is the one that connects with you, fits your collection and continues to hold your attention long after the initial discovery.

As with any artist, future demand and market value are uncertain. I encourage collectors to choose work they genuinely love first, while considering provenance, condition, exhibition history and price when making a purchase.

6. Collecting Contemporary Canadian Art Matters

Collecting living artists is one way to support the continued creation of Canadian art. Every original work purchased helps sustain an artist’s practice and contributes to a wider ecosystem of studios, galleries, exhibitions and cultural activity.

For me, being a Canadian artist is about more than painting recognizable symbols. It is about contributing to an evolving picture of who we are, what we value and how we see the world around us.

When you collect contemporary Canadian art, you are helping ensure that these stories continue to be told.

Explore available original paintings by Brandy Saturley at brandysaturley.com.

Collect What You Love

From hyperrealism and figurative painting to abstract landscapes, experimental photography, sculpture and fine embroidery, these twenty artists demonstrate the remarkable diversity of contemporary Canadian art.

This list is personal, and that is precisely the point. Collecting art is not about following a prescribed formula or buying whatever happens to be fashionable. It is about discovering artists whose work speaks to you, finding pieces you want to live with and building a collection that reflects your own interests, experiences and perspective.

As an artist and collector, I believe the most rewarding collections develop through curiosity. Visit galleries, follow artists, ask questions, explore unfamiliar mediums and take the time to understand what draws you to a particular work.

And if you find yourself returning to a painting again and again, pay attention. That connection may be telling you something.

The best collection is not necessarily the most expensive one. It is the one that tells your story.

Happy collecting!