Portraits of Canadians

People of Canada Portrait Project: Portraits of Canadians

The People of Canada Portrait Project began in 2014 after I spent time studying the work of American painter Grant Wood. While I am best known for painting stories of Canada through landscapes and iconic imagery, portraiture has always been an important part of my artistic practice. I began painting Portraits of Canadians.

Grant Wood’s iconic American Gothic inspired my own Canadian interpretation of the painting. I reached out to a friend and asked her and her husband to photograph themselves standing in a Manitoba field. I gave them very little direction. The only request was that he hold a hockey stick in place of the famous pitchfork. I would create the landscape around them, transforming the image into a distinctly Canadian story.

American Gothic by Grant Wood, 1930

That first painting sparked an idea that grew into the People of Canada Portrait Project.

Between 2014 and 2020, I completed twenty portraits of Canadians. Participants from across the country submitted photographs of themselves, and through conversations and interviews I learned about their lives, their communities, and the places that shaped them. From those stories, I chose the landscape or setting that would become the backdrop for each painting.

Submissions arrived from every corner of Canada, and selecting participants became one of the most rewarding challenges of the project. I was drawn to the people whose stories ignited my imagination and reflected the diversity of the Canadian experience. The series attracted national attention and was featured by CBC Arts, along with regional television and media outlets.

Reference photo for Canadiens Gothic courtesy Penny Rogers Photography

The project brought together couples, sisters, friends, families, and individuals. Along the way, I formed genuine friendships with many of the people I painted, making this one of the most meaningful series of my career. From the prairie fields of Saskatchewan to the turquoise lakes of Banff, from the rugged West Coast to the northern landscapes of Yellowknife, each portrait became a celebration of both the individual and the place they called home.

Portraits of Canadians

Below are ten of my favourite paintings from the project. Years later, these works continue to resonate with me, not only for the stories they tell but for the lasting connections they created. I remain deeply grateful to everyone who shared their lives and became part of this portrait of Canada.

Canadiens Gothic, c. 2014 Acrylic 48 x 36 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Salt & Wheat acrylic on canvas 30×24 Brandy Saturley

Futurebrights, c. 2015 Acrylic 30 x 40 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

You Are Here, c. 2016 Acrylic 30 x 24 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Jest Lives Here 36×24 Acrylic on canvas 2016 Brandy Saturley

Yellowknife is Izzy Bizzy, c. 2016 Acrylic 40 x 30 x 1.5 in Brandy Saturley

341 Steps acrylic on canvas 30×48 Brandy Saturley

Welcome All Souls, Acrylic on canvas 36×36 Brandy Saturley

Not For Sale acrylic on canvas 30×40 Brandy Saturley

Vimy Jam Acrylic 30 x 24 x 1.5 in Brandy Saturley

July 30, 2026

The Goalie’s Mask Paintings

Art Career, Canadian Paintings

For the Love of Hockey and The Habs: Brandy Saturley’s Goalie Mask Paintings

Canadian artist Brandy Saturley is known for her bold pop art depictions of Canadiana, exploring the icons, symbols, landscapes, and cultural mythology that shape the country’s identity. Beginning in 2010, Saturley turned her attention to hockey, spending nearly a decade examining the sport through paint as both a cultural phenomenon and a deeply personal symbol of Canada.

Drawn to the role of the goaltender, Saturley found herself identifying with the solitary and observant nature of the position. Much like an artist, the goalie stands apart from the action while remaining at the emotional centre of the game. She was also fascinated by the personality expressed through the hand-crafted goalie masks of an earlier era, particularly those worn before the sleek, graphic designs of modern hockey.

Ken Dryden Pretzel Mask replica at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Calgary AB

When seeking a singular image that could speak to both Canada and hockey’s place within its cultural psyche, Saturley chose legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden and his two iconic masks: the skeletal “Pretzel Mask” and the striking “Target Mask.”

Ken Dryden and his masks have inspired generations of Canadian artists, becoming enduring symbols not only of hockey history but of Canadian identity itself. What Saturley discovered while painting goalie masks against the Canadian flag was that hockey can become surprisingly polarizing when viewed through the lens of fine art. The paintings exist between two worlds: the art world and the hockey world. Art audiences often approach the work with curiosity or confusion, while hockey fans immediately connect emotionally, sharing stories of childhood games, family rituals, and devotion to a national pastime. The response revealed how deeply hockey lives within the Canadian subconscious.

For her first and most recognized hockey painting, Saturley chose Dryden’s famous Pretzel Mask, a mask skeletal in form and molded closely to the contours of the goalie’s face. Rather than simply paint an object, she sought to tell a broader story. The mask was set against a Canadian flag split in two by a blue line, hinting at themes of division, identity, and duality: art versus sport, observation versus participation, culture versus nationalism. The symbolism emerged intuitively during the painting process.

Goalie’s Mask: red, white & Dryden (The Goalies Mask Painting), c. 2011 Acrylic 48 x 36 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

The work was influenced by several moments and experiences: Ken Dryden’s legendary career, the emotional atmosphere surrounding the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the Vancouver Canucks’ near Stanley Cup victory, and Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic painting Cow’s Skull: Red, White and Blue, which Saturley encountered while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

“I knew that I wanted to paint a goaltender’s mask on the Canadian flag, but which mask should I choose and why? On my travels across Canada I compiled thousands of reference photographs, and while searching through them I came across the rookie mask of hockey great Ken Dryden, whose mask resides at the Hockey Hall of Fame. I was immediately taken with the character of the mask. In Dryden’s era, the mold of the mask actually resembled the shape of the player’s face, so even though it is covered in nicks and dents, you can still see his face within it.

I developed a deep appreciation for how dangerous the game was in that era. The mask itself stands as proof, pitted and scarred to the point that it is remarkable his face survived intact. I also became inspired by Dryden himself, someone who succeeded not only as an athlete but as a thinker and businessman, continually reinventing himself throughout his life.

In the painting, the centre blue line splits the flag in half. I intentionally left the meaning open to interpretation because it carries many possibilities depending on the viewer and their relationship to hockey, Canada, and the man behind the mask.

This painting marked the beginning of a series titled Iconic Canuck, a body of work I have been developing for the past two decades. What began as a love letter to Canada continues to evolve and transform. At this point, I no longer feel that I control the work. It guides me. It has become part of who I am.”
— Brandy Saturley

In 2012, the painting Goalie’s Mask: Red, White and Dryden was loaned to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame for a one-year exhibition. In 2014, the work was shortlisted for the IOC Olympic Trophy in Sport and Art.

The Goalie’s Mask Paintings: The Target Mask

Another Ken Dryden-inspired work by Saturley features the legendary “Target Mask,” with its concentric red and blue rings forming a bold bullseye across the goalie’s face. Dryden believed a goalie mask should remain visually simple and recognizable from the highest seats in the arena, or even from a television screen at home. The minimalist design became one of the most iconic masks in hockey history.

Ken Dryden wearing the Target Mask

In Saturley’s painting Habitant, the Target Mask takes centre stage. The work references the Indigenous origins of hockey through feather-like forms surrounding the collar of the mask, while also acknowledging the cultural roots of the Montreal Canadiens. The nickname “Habs” derives from “Les Habitants,” referring to the early French settlers of New France and the team’s enduring French-Canadian identity. The painting’s energetic background of scratches, fingerprints, and expressive marks echoes the physical intensity and emotional friction of hockey itself, transforming the canvas into a battleground of memory, culture, and national identity.

Habitant, c. 2021 Acrylic 60 x 48 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Through her hockey paintings and broader body of Canadian pop art, Brandy Saturley continues to transform familiar symbols into layered visual stories about identity, memory, and place. From goalie masks and Canadian flags to landscapes, roadside icons, and cultural mythology, her work invites viewers to see Canada through a more personal and emotional lens. Explore more paintings by Brandy Saturley and discover a vivid collection of artworks that celebrate the beauty, contradictions, nostalgia, and spirit of Canada.

May 28, 2026

Palette Colours of Canada

Artist Process, Canadian Paintings

The Colours of Canada – A Lived Palette

Reds, Denim Blues, Ice Whites & Forestry Greens in Canadian Painting

Canada has a colour palette all its own. Not the official palette of tourism brochures or flag ceremonies, but the lived palette of roadside buildings, hockey arenas, fishing towns, ski hills, workwear, winter light, and long drives through shifting landscapes. It is a palette built from weather, labour, nostalgia, and survival. A national psychology expressed through colour.

As a painter working across the iconography of Canada, I often find myself returning to certain tones instinctively. They appear again and again in my paintings like recurring characters in a story. Canadian reds. Denim blues. Ice whites. Forestry greens.

These colours are more than aesthetic choices. They carry emotional memory.

Charity, c. 2017 Acrylic 36 x 36 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Canadian Red

Red in Canada is not subtle.

It flashes through the landscape like a signal fire. The red of the maple leaf. The Hudson’s Bay stripe translated into winter wear. The glowing taillights on the Trans-Canada Highway in a snowstorm. Hockey jerseys. Barn roofs. Muskoka chairs. Canoes. Poppies pinned to denim jackets in November.

Canadian red carries both warmth and warning.

It is the colour of resilience against cold climates and vast distances. In painting, I often use red as an emotional anchor point. It pulls the eye forward through mist, snow, trees, or open space. A visual heartbeat in the composition.

Red is also deeply tied to collective memory in Canada. It contains patriotism, but also longing. It can feel celebratory or lonely depending on its placement within the landscape.

Rocky Mountains Higher, c. 2023 Acrylic 36 x 48 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Denim Blues

Denim blue may be one of the most quietly Canadian colours.

It is the colour of workwear, faded lake jeans, labour, music culture, prairie skies, and northern shadows. It exists somewhere between toughness and tenderness.

Growing up in Canada, denim feels almost like a second skin. It belongs equally to farmers, artists, miners, musicians, and teenagers standing outside arenas in winter.

In my paintings, denim blues often function as emotional atmosphere. These blues soften the landscape while holding a sense of distance and memory. They evoke road trips, old photographs, and the vastness of Canadian geography.

There is humility in denim blue. It does not shout. It endures.

Hanging On A Cloud, 2025 Acrylic on canvas 52 x 25 in – Brandy Saturley

Ice Whites

Winter changes the psychology of colour in Canada.

Ice white is never simply white. It absorbs blues, violets, silver light, and silence. Snow-covered landscapes create a strange emotional compression where sound softens and colour becomes precious.

In painting, ice white creates pause.

It allows breathing room around objects and symbols while amplifying isolation, reflection, and stillness. A single red jacket or green pine against a field of white suddenly becomes cinematic.

Canadian winter light has shaped generations of painters because it alters perception itself. The landscape becomes distilled. Simplified. Honest.

There is nowhere to hide in winter.

Bottoms Up, 2026, acrylic on canvas, wrapped, 30 x 30 x 1.5 inches – Brandy Saturley

Forestry Greens

The green of Canada is dense with mythology.

Forestry green speaks of wilderness, national parks, wet coastal forests, northern muskeg, canoe routes, camping trips, and the deep psychological relationship Canadians have with trees.

It is a colour connected to both freedom and solitude.

For many Canadians, green represents escape from urban life and a return to something elemental. Cabins. Trails. Mountains. Rain-soaked cedar. Moss climbing telephone poles on the West Coast.

In my work, forestry greens often ground the paintings emotionally. They connect human symbols and pop culture references back to the land itself. The landscape remains the constant character beneath all the noise of contemporary culture.

The Red We Carry, c. 2026 Acrylic On Canvas 30 x 30 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Painting The Canadian Consciousness: Palette Colours of Canada

Over time I have realized that my work is not simply about painting Canada visually. It is about painting the emotional atmosphere of living here.

Colour becomes a language for that experience.

The reds carry memory and identity.
The blues hold distance and endurance.
The whites contain silence and reflection.
The greens root us to the land.

Spirited Island, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 48×48 inches – Brandy Saturley

Together they form a distinctly Canadian emotional palette shaped by climate, geography, popular culture, and collective experience.

As I continue to travel and paint across the country, I keep discovering new variations within these colours. Newfoundland fog creates a different blue than Alberta prairie sky. Northern snow reflects differently than coastal winter light. Every region shifts the emotional register slightly.

Canada is vast, but its colours continue to tell connected stories.

And as a painter, I continue following them.

King Of The Polar Bears, acrylic on canvas, 36×48, Brandy Saturley

May 7, 2026

Flag Day in Canada

Canadian Art, Canadian Paintings

Paintings of the Canadian Flag – Celebrating Flag Day in Canada

National Flag of Canada Day is observed annually on February 15th, marking the inauguration of the maple leaf flag in 1965. Since that day, the red and white flag has become one of the most recognizable national symbols in the world. It is a banner that unites Canadians across provinces, territories, cultures, and generations, reflecting shared values of democracy, inclusion, and equity.

Key Symbolism of the Canadian Flag:

The 11-Point Maple Leaf
The maple leaf has been associated with Canada since the 18th century, long before it was centered on our national flag. Its eleven points are a stylized design chosen for clarity and visibility rather than representing provinces. The leaf stands as an emblem of Canada’s natural beauty, vast forests, and the enduring spirit captured in the words “The True North strong and free.”

Red and White Colours
Proclaimed as Canada’s official colours by King George V in 1921, red and white carry layered meaning. White is often said to represent the northern snow and a sense of openness and peace, while red reflects the autumn maple leaves and honours the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers.

The “Canadian Pale”
The flag’s design features a central white square flanked by two red vertical bands. This bold composition, known as the “Canadian pale,” creates balance and clarity, symbolizing a country that stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic.

A Symbol of Unity and Independence
Designed by George Stanley, the maple leaf flag replaced the Canadian Red Ensign with a distinct and neutral national symbol. Its simplicity and strength were intentional, offering a design that could unite Canadians under one sovereign identity while embracing the country’s multicultural character.

Historical Significance
The maple leaf was worn as a badge of pride and loyalty by Canadian soldiers during the First World War and appears on the headstones of service members. Over time, it has come to represent resilience, courage, and collective memory.

Flag Day in Canada – The Canadian Flag in Art

For more than two decades, the Canadian flag has appeared throughout my paintings. It is not simply an icon to reproduce, but a symbol to question, celebrate, reframe, and reimagine. Through scale, colour, context, and juxtaposition, I have explored what the flag means within contemporary Canadian life. Sometimes it is bold and declarative. Other times it is subtle, folded into a scene, or embedded within a larger narrative about place and identity.

The flag continues to evolve in meaning as Canada evolves. It can represent pride, protest, unity, memory, and possibility. In my work, it becomes both subject and storyteller.

Here are ten paintings that explore the Canadian flag through my lens.

Stitched in Canada, c. 2023 Acrylic 36 x 48 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Pride Between The Lions, c. 2025 Acrylic On Canvas 18 x 24 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Lovers in a Dangerous Time (2025), c. 2025 Acrylic on wood panel 18 x 24 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Peace, Love, Canada, c. 2023 acrylic and gouache on canvas 30 x 40 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Under A Borealis Sky, c. 2011 Acrylic 30 x 40 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

On Guard (hockey Canada flag), c. 2013 Acrylic 24 x 36 x 1.5 in – Colart Collection – Brandy Saturley

Goalie’s Mask: red, white & Dryden (The Goalies Mask Painting), c. 2011 Acrylic 48 x 36 x 1.5 in – Collection of The Artist – Brandy Saturley

End of An Era, c. 2022 Acrylic On Canvas 60 x 36 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Noble Steward, c. 2023 acrylic, gouache, gold leaf 12 x 9 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

Lovers In A Dangerous Time, c. 2015 Acrylic 36 x 36 x 1.5 in – Brandy Saturley

February 12, 2026

Ice Skating Art

Canadian Paintings

Painting People on Outdoor Ponds – Ice Skating Art in Canada

Recently, The Canadian Art Junkie published a feature on The Art of Skating, highlighting Canadian artists who have celebrated outdoor skating through visual storytelling on canvas. It is a subject deeply woven into the fabric of Canadian art history. From Alex Colville to Ken Danby, many painters before me have been drawn to skating as both image and metaphor. Whether it’s an outdoor hockey rink, a game of shinny, families circling a frozen pond, or the quiet focus of a lone figure skater, skating offers endless material to keep a painter’s brush in motion.

The Prodigy, Acrylic On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, 2021 – Brandy Saturley

Over the years, the theme of ice skating has surfaced again and again in my own work. That feels fitting, as Canadian winter is not merely endured, it is actively lived on ice. From farmers’ fields flooded and frozen on the Prairies, to glassy mountain lakes in Alberta, from the Great Lakes to small backyard ponds, skating is one of the most democratic and joyful ways Canadians meet winter head-on. It turns cold into community.

Pond Hockey Days, Acrylic On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, 2021 – Brandy Saturley

Painting skaters outdoors allows me to explore more than motion. It’s about atmosphere, breath in the air, the scrape of blades against ice, the muted soundscape that comes with snow-covered land. Skaters become small but essential figures within vast winter landscapes, reminding us of our scale in nature and our resilience within it. Often bundled in parkas, scarves, and knit hats, they carry a distinctly Canadian silhouette, recognizable even without faces.

Detail view – Glide Away, Acrylic On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, 2021 – Brandy Saturley

There is also a quiet nostalgia embedded in these scenes. Outdoor skating often exists outside of structured time. It happens at dusk after school, on weekends, during holidays, or in those fleeting moments when the ice is just right. Painting these scenes becomes a way of preserving a shared memory. Many viewers tell me they can feel themselves back on the ice when they encounter these works, toes numb, cheeks burning, laughter echoing across a frozen surface.

Vortex, Acrylic on canvas, 48×36, 2021 – Brandy Saturley

Historically, skating in Canadian painting has often been used to speak about balance, discipline, and grace, but also about play. It sits at the intersection of sport and leisure, survival and joy. That duality continues to interest me. A frozen pond can be both serene and energetic, expansive yet intimate. It’s a stage where stories unfold without spectacle, where everyday life quietly becomes worthy of paint.

We Dream, Acrylic On Canvas, 30 x 30 x 1.5 in, 2022 – Brandy Saturley

In a country where winter defines so much of our rhythm, skating remains one of the most poetic expressions of how we adapt, celebrate, and gather. To paint people skating outdoors is to paint a very particular Canadian way of being in the world. One where cold sharpens awareness, community forms organically, and the landscape is never just a backdrop, but an active participant in the story.

Angel of Snow & Ice, Acrylic On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, 2023 – Brandy Saturley

Ice, after all, is never still. And neither are we.

December 15, 2025

Canadian Identity in Contemporary Art

Canadian Art, Canadian Paintings

Plaid, Pop Culture, and Patriotism: The Iconography of Canadian Identity in Contemporary Art

What does it mean to be Canadian, not just in spirit, but in symbol? For generations, artists in this country have been exploring Canadian identity in contemporary Art: the rugged landscape, the solitary canoe, the maple leaf. But as our nation evolves, so too does our iconography. In my own work as a Canadian painter, I’ve long been interested in the visual cues that shape our collective identity, a patchwork of plaid shirts, denim jackets, goalie masks, polar bears, poppies, canoes, and tragically hip lyrics.

These symbols, sometimes quiet and sometimes loud, tell the story of who we are. They’re shorthand for values we hold close such as resilience, humility, humour, pride – and they form a visual vocabulary that continues to grow and shift.

With Hearts on Our Sleeves, 40×30, acrylic on canvas, 2017 – Brandy Saturley

The Power of Plaid

Plaid, for me, is more than a fashion choice or a lumberjack trope. It’s a cultural fabric very literally and metaphorically that is woven into the Canadian psyche. It speaks to our working-class roots, our connection to nature, our frontier spirit. I’ve painted plaid in countless forms: draped shirts, textile-inspired backdrops, even as abstracted colour grids. It’s instantly recognizable and deeply nostalgic, yet flexible enough to carry new meanings in a contemporary context.

Come On Just Let’s Go, 48×30, acrylic on canvas, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

Canadian Identity in Contemporary Art: Pop Culture as Collective Memory

Canadian pop culture often flies under the radar, quieter than our southern neighbours, but no less rich. From the storytelling of the Barenaked Ladies and The Tragically Hip, to the childhood nostalgia of Hinterland Who’s Who and Heritage Minutes, these cultural touchstones unite us across provinces and generations.

I’ve been incorporating pop culture into my work as a way to explore this uniquely Canadian quirkiness for decades, a kind of smart humility and quiet defiance. Referencing music, film, and sports lets me connect with a wide audience and spark recognition. It’s not about fandom; it’s about shared memory.

Son of Canada, 40×30, acrylic on canvas, 2020 – Brandy Saturley

Patriotism, Reimagined

In the 21st century, Canadian patriotism is a more complex concept. It’s not blind nationalism, but rather a critical, evolving love of place and people. My use of national symbols such as the poppy, the maple leaf, the RCMP, the hockey net, are both homage and inquiry. These motifs raise questions: Who are we really? What do we want to be known for? How do we honour tradition while also pushing forward?

One of my more recent pieces, featuring a close-up of a denim jacket with a Remembrance Day poppy, is a quiet meditation on the “uniform of the everyman” and a symbol of collective identity and hope. In another, two red and black plaid shirts hang together like a domestic still life, echoing intimacy, memory, and cultural weight.

Say a Little Prayer, 18×24, acrylic on canvas, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

Contemporary Iconography in Flux

Canadian iconography isn’t static, and that’s what keeps it compelling. It’s fluid, shaped by immigration, Indigenous voices, regional stories, and the challenges of the modern world, from climate change to reconciliation. In my work, I try to honour that fluidity to hold space for both history and invention.

As I continue to travel across Canada from Victoria to Newfoundland, I find new symbols emerging. Sometimes they’re subtle: a specific tone of northern light, the shape of a maple leaf, or the architecture of small-town rural. Other times, they’re bold, like the juxtaposition of a vintage Tim Hortons cup with a wild mountain horizon.

The Red Mittens series, 2014, Brandy Saturley

Final Thoughts: Painting the Story of Us

At its heart, my work is about storytelling. I’m painting a visual memoir of Canada, one that invites viewers to bring their own memories, experiences, and meanings. Plaid, pop culture, and patriotism are just the starting points. The deeper story lies in how we connect through these shared images and how we continue to define what it means to be Canadian.

Brandy Saturley in studio at the Pouch Cove Foundation, Newfoundland CANADA

July 25, 2025

Landscape Paintings in Banff

Canadian Paintings

10 Landscape Paintings Available in Banff at Willock & Sax Gallery

While I’m most recognized for my narrative Canadian paintings, works that tell visual stories through symbolism, iconography, and Canadian culture – there are times when the landscape itself takes centre stage. In these moments, the story lies within the land, and the landscape becomes the subject, the emotion, and the message.

The Canadian landscapes that most captivate me are the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. These towering giants provide striking compositions through their bold lines, dramatic forms, and seasonal transformation. Whether draped in winter snow or framed by the rich greens of summer foliage, these mountains invite endless study and artistic interpretation.

To paint them is to witness constant change. The light shifts from the warm glow of morning to the cool hues of evening, reshaping contours and altering mood. Mount Rundle, for instance, can appear entirely different depending on the time of day or season. In this way, the land tells its own story through form, colour, and shadow.

From the distinctive silhouette of Mount Rundle to the iconic forms of Temple, Cascade, and the pristine waters of Lake Louise, the Banff/Lake Louise region offers an abundance of inspiration. These places are more than subjects; they are muses that shape my artistic approach.

Currently, 10 of my Rocky Mountain landscape paintings are available through Willock & Sax Gallery in Banff. Each piece is a celebration of place and presence, and a reflection of time spent immersed in one of Canada’s most awe-inspiring environments.

Explore these works in person at Willock & Sax Gallery or contact the gallery for purchase inquiries.

Vermilion Canoes, acrylic on canvas, 36x60x1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

Cascade, acrylic on canvas, 36x48x1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

Temple Top, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 12×12 inches, Brandy Saturley

Paradise, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 12×12 inches, Brandy Saturley

Minnewanka Muse, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 12×24 inches, Brandy Saturley

Sawtooth, acrylic on canvas, 12×24 inches, Brandy Saturley

Mount Temple, acrylic on canvas, 36x48x1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

Momentous, acrylic on canvas, 36x48x1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

A Long and Winding Road, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 x 1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

Little Rundle, acrylic and gouache on canvas, 12 x 12 x 1.5 inches, Brandy Saturley

See more landscape paintings by Brandy Saturley here.

July 14, 2025

Canadian Wildlife Paintings

Canadian Paintings

Five Paintings About Canadian Wildlife

Wildlife paintings are something Canadian artists are known for – perhaps because we’re surrounded by such a vast, wild, and beautiful land. With an abundance of subject matter, from the coasts to the Rockies, tundra to dense forest, it’s no surprise that Canadian painters often turn their gaze toward the creatures that roam this country. These animals aren’t just part of the scenery they’re part of our collective story and national identity.

Wildlife paintings in Brandy Saturley Studio, 2025

Over the years, I’ve created a number of paintings where Canadian wildlife takes centre stage. From the stoic elk to the playful polar bear, and of course, the mighty moose – these animals become protagonists in visual narratives inspired by my experiences travelling across Canada. Each one holds symbolic meaning, reflecting the character of the land they inhabit.

Monarch of The Arctic Realms, acrylic and gouache on canvas, 48 x 48, 2023 – Brandy Saturley

In my approach to painting wildlife, I tend to focus on a single animal at a time, giving it space to breathe and speak. I paint these animals in a pop modernist style, using bold lines, high contrast, and vibrant colours. The backgrounds are anything but traditional; they’re expressive environments and jungles of colour and energy, filled with abstract shapes, symbols, and sometimes unexpected elements. Think of them as dreamscapes or emotional landscapes that reflect the spirit of the animal.

Handful of Polar Bear, acrylic on canvas, 48×36, 2022 – Brandy Saturley

What makes these paintings uniquely Canadian isn’t just the wildlife – it’s the mood, the symbolism, the energy of the land woven into every brushstroke. There’s a sense of wonder and reverence, but also playfulness and curiosity. I love isolating the animal, letting it command attention while letting the environment pulse and hum around it. These paintings are not just portraits of animals, they’re portraits of a nation’s wild soul.

Here are five Canadian wildlife paintings that embody this approach:

1. Modern Canadian Elk – The Elk

Modern Canadian Elk, 36×36, acrylic on canvas, 2022 – Brandy Saturley

2. Polar Play – The Polar Bear

Polar Play, Acrylic On Canvas, 48 x 48, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

3. Elusive Mooseness – The Moose

Elusive Mooseness, Acrylic on Canvas, 48 × 24 in, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

4. Only The Blue Jay Knows – The Elk and Blue Jay

Only the Blue Jay Knows, Acrylic On Canvas, 36 x 48, 2021 – Brandy Saturley

5.Canadian Subconscious – The Stag

Canadian Subconscious, Acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48, 2015 – Brandy Saturley

These works are not just about representing Canadian animals, they are about celebrating the energy, stories, and spiritual presence of wildlife in Canadian life and imagination. They invite the viewer to pause, connect, and perhaps see these familiar creatures in a new light.

If one of these animals speaks to you, or you’re looking to bring a piece of Canada’s wild heart into your home or collection, I invite you to explore the full series on my website.

June 17, 2025

No Dress Rehearsal

Canadian Art, Canadian Paintings

Presenting Your Art to an Audience for the First Time, There is No Dress Rehearsal

Watching the recent documentary, No Dress Rehearsal, about Canadian Artists The Tragically Hip felt like discovering an old friend in a new light. For much of my career, I was working in parallel to The Hip, exploring Canadian themes in my art without really knowing their music. But over the past decade, I fully embraced The Hip and their incredible ability to capture Canada through song. Now, their music has become a staple in my studio, often playing in the background and setting the tone for my own brand of visual storytelling.

The Tragically Hip felt like reconnecting with an old friend, a reminder of why this band has come to hold such a special place in my heart—and in my work. Their poetic lyrics, which touch on history, geography, and the quirks of Canadian identity, often reverberate in the background while I’m in the studio, setting the tone as I paint my own interpretations of Canada.

What resonates most is how much we have in common: a deep love for Canada and a unique approach to weaving stories—The Hip through lyrics and music, and me through paint on canvas. Their songs remind me of the power of a well-told story, something I strive to achieve in my paintings, which are rooted in our landscapes, icons, and cultural symbols. We share a commitment to travel across Canada, exploring both big cities and rural communities. Just as they tirelessly toured, I’m inspired by the places and people I encounter, gathering stories and images to shape my work. Traveling from coast to coast to coast, I gain a broader understanding of what it means to be Canadian—a theme that’s central to both their music and my own work.

There’s also that distinctly Canadian quirkiness we both bring to our work. Just as The Hip were known for their playful, sometimes ironic take on what it means to be Canadian, I work to bring a similar spirit to my art. My paintings often include playful Canadian motifs, like plaid, hockey stories, rural locations, and landscapes that feel instantly familiar, yet they invite viewers to look deeper. This approach makes me feel like I’m part of the broader Canadian narrative The Hip helped shape, just in a different medium.

The Hip’s legacy is more than musical; it’s a cultural marker, inspiring artists like me to explore Canada in all its complexity. With their songs playing in my studio, I feel connected to that same spirit, driven to create paintings that speak to what it means to be Canadian. Their influence helps me set the tone and pace as I bring my own vision of Canada to life on canvas.

Working with The Hip’s music as my backdrop, I’m constantly inspired by their ability to bring Canada to life in ways that are both personal and universally relatable. As I paint, their music pushes me to explore what it means to be Canadian, just as they did through their lyrics. And with their songs filling the studio, I find myself weaving together my own stories of Canada, capturing the essence of our shared home one canvas at a time. There is no dress rehearsal when it comes to being an artist and laying your heart on the line.

More about The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal here.

More about Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley here:

October 29, 2024

Plaid in Canada

Canadian Paintings

Six Paintings Telling Tales of Plaid in Canada

Growing up in the 1970s in a province known for its trees and logging, I became deeply familiar with the Canadian uniform of plaid. My father worked in the forestry industry, and he wore those heavy wool plaid jackets with metal snaps—the quintessential attire for his trade. Plaid was everywhere, from the beaches littered with runaway logs to the backs of loggers, lumberjacks, and fishermen. But the tradition of plaid in Canada reaches back much further than my childhood memories.

Plaid’s roots in Canada trace back to Scottish immigrants who brought their tartan patterns with them to Nova Scotia. These early settlers, struggling to survive in a new and rugged land, carried with them not only their fabrics but their values of hard work, community, and perseverance. The plaid flannel shirt evolved into a symbol of the Canadian Everyman—approachable, hardworking, and unpretentious. It evokes a sense of homegrown authenticity, embodying the spirit of “nice Canadians” who work together for the common good.

Over the decades, plaid has been worn by some of Canada’s most iconic figures—from the fictional Bob and Doug McKenzie and the famous Quinlan Quints to the legendary Neil Young, the elder statesman of flannel. The plaid shirt has become an unofficial emblem of Canada itself, representing the land of the True North, strong and free. It’s a fabric that transcends divisions. Plaid isn’t just one color—it’s red, blue, black, and white—a patchwork that mirrors Canada’s diverse yet unified identity.

Plaid’s resurgence today, especially among the youth of 2024, underscores its lasting appeal. Companies like Dixxon Flannel have breathed new life into the fabric, infusing it with pop culture flair and turning it into a fashion statement for a new generation. Plaid, once the uniform of loggers and fishermen, now proudly adorns the backs of men and women from all walks of life, whether at work, at the opera, on the outdoor rink, or even on a wedding night. It’s no wonder Elon Musk named his premium Tesla the PLAID model X.

As a Canadian artist dedicated to telling the stories of the Canadian experience, plaid has naturally woven itself into my work. From still life to larger explorations of Canadian identity, plaid serves as a visual metaphor for the strength, warmth, and resilience of the people who wear it. Most recently, I completed a still life of two plaid shirts hanging on a stark white wall—a quiet homage to this enduring symbol of Canadian culture.

Brandy Saturley wearing her Dixxon flannel plaid shirt, 2024.

Here are six paintings that tell the tale of plaid in Canada and beyond, offering a glimpse into how this simple fabric continues to inspire and connect us.