Buy Original Canadian Art From a Living Artist
There is something about original Canadian art that sets all the senses in motion. When faced with the choice between a print and an original, I am always drawn to the original, even when it stretches the budget, I like to buy original Canadian Art. Prints can be beautiful reminders of an artwork you love, but they are not the work itself. An original carries the hand of the artist, the decisions made in real time, the surface, the weight, the presence. It is the difference between admiration and ownership.
While most of us may never own a Lawren Harris, his legacy is already secured. Collecting art today is about supporting living Canadian artists whose careers are actively unfolding. When you purchase an original artwork from a contemporary Canadian artist, you are investing not only in an object of beauty, but in a voice, a vision, and a cultural moment happening right now.
Today’s Canadian artists are gaining international recognition across every medium imaginable. From oil, acrylic, and watercolour to sculpture, mixed media, and digital work, contemporary Canadian art reflects a wide range of experiences, geographies, and ideas. These works live in private collections, corporate spaces, public institutions, and increasingly, in homes discovered through online platforms and social media.
Discovering Original Canadian Art Today
Both seasoned and first-time collectors have more access to original Canadian art than ever before. Artist websites, online galleries, and curated art directories such as Artists in Canada and ARTSY make it easy to explore work directly from artists across the country. Collecting no longer requires living in a major art centre or waiting for a gallery opening. Art can be discovered thoughtfully, researched, and purchased from anywhere.
Many collectors enjoy the process as much as the final acquisition. Building wish lists, saving images, following artists on social platforms, and returning to a piece over time has become part of the contemporary collecting experience. These digital tools allow collectors to live with an artwork virtually before inviting it into their physical space.
I regularly sell original paintings to collectors who first encounter my work online. Recently, two paintings were purchased by a collector in Toronto who discovered them through a combination of this website and social media. The works were purchased unseen in person and shipped directly to his home. Without exception, collectors tell me the same thing: if a painting resonates online, it is even more powerful in real life.
An original artwork reveals itself slowly. The texture of the paint, the depth of colour, the surface catching light differently throughout the day, the artist’s signature, even the faint scent of paint and varnish all contribute to the experience. Living with original art is sensory, emotional, and deeply personal.
Where to Find Canadian Art
Original Canadian art can be discovered in many places. Art fairs remain an important way to see a wide range of work in person. On Vancouver Island, events such as the Sooke Fine Arts Show and the Moss Street Paint-In showcase regional talent. In larger centres, fairs like the Artist Project and Art Toronto contemporary art fairs connect collectors with artists from across the country.
Whether encountered online, in a gallery, or at an art fair, Canadian art offers an extraordinary range of voices and styles. Since 2000, I have been committed to supporting Canadian artists and fostering connections between artists, galleries, and collectors through my website, artist talks, and writing.
I invite you to explore original Canadian art created by a living artist and discover a work that speaks to you now, and for years to come.
