Canadian Art Documentary: Inside the World of Artist Brandy Saturley

Looking back at 2019, it doesn’t seem that long ago. Yet, when I consider everything that has happened in my art career since then, it feels like eons.

That year, documentary filmmaker Randy Frykas reached out to me about making a short documentary film. I had no idea what to expect. When Randy arrived at my studio, I didn’t know what questions he would ask or how the filming would unfold. There was no preparation, no rehearsed answers, and no script. It was simply two days of filming inside my studio, offering a glimpse into my world as an artist.

The result was The Iconic Canuck, a short documentary that captured a moment in my life and career. At the time, I had no way of knowing just how much would change over the following seven years.

A Lot Can Happen in Seven Years

Since that film was made, my art career has continued to evolve in ways I could not have predicted.

I have gained representation with three galleries, completed two artist residencies in Newfoundland and another at the Banff Centre, and travelled to Boston to exhibit my work. I published my artist monograph, Painting Canada, and had the opportunity to collaborate with The Tragically Hip on a commissioned work. Along the way, I have presented several solo exhibitions and continued to develop my body of work exploring Canadian culture, identity, and iconography.

Each of these milestones represents more than a line on a résumé. They are the result of years spent in the studio, taking risks, pursuing opportunities, and continuing to make paintings even when the next step wasn’t always clear.

My work has evolved, too. The ideas and imagery that have occupied my practice for years have continued to develop, from the symbols we associate with Canadian identity to the stories we tell about our landscapes, wildlife, history, and sense of belonging. My studio practice remains a process of discovery, and I am still finding new ways to tell these stories through painting.

The Value of Looking Back

As artists, we tend to focus on what comes next. The next painting, the next exhibition, the next opportunity. There is always another idea waiting to be explored and another challenge to work through.

It can be difficult to recognize how far we have travelled when we are busy moving forward.

Watching the documentary again reminds me of who I was at that point in my career. It captures an unguarded moment, before many of these experiences had happened. There is something valuable about seeing yourself through someone else’s lens and being reminded that a career is not built in a single defining moment. It develops gradually, through countless decisions, experiences, and hours spent doing the work.

Seven years may not seem like a particularly long time, but in an art career, it can hold an extraordinary amount of change.

I am grateful for the opportunities that have come my way, for the people who have helped bring my work to new audiences, and for the continued curiosity that keeps me returning to the studio.

Thank you to Randy Frykas for taking the time to document my world as an artist back in 2019. What began as an unexpected invitation has become a valuable record of a particular moment in my journey.

I look forward to seeing what the next seven years will bring.