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A Day in The Life

What Do Artists Do All Day? A Day in The Life of An Artist

I woke up, I stumbled out of bed, dragged my fingers across my head. Found my way across the floor, let the machine pour me a cup. I made my way upstairs, and noticed I was later than usual. I found my slippers and grabbed my blanket and laid back in my chair as I read the news on my iPhone. Found some emails waiting to be answered and some comments on my Facebook and Instagram that needed a response. Grabbed my mug walked downstairs to the shower, washed the night before off and got ready for a cup more. As the coffee machine churned loudly, I glanced outside through the kitchen window and my mind noticed the clouds drift by, in a different way than the day before. I ran upstairs and grabbed my camera, another distraction and another opportunity to capture life with distinction.

Sunset on BC Ferries by Brandy Saturley on 500px.com

I am a full-time artist, a professional, though that always sounds a bit weird to say, as it’s not like being a Dr. or Lawyer. It’s not a 9-5, although I try to stick to a schedule, as it helps me to turn the brain down a notch and also remember to engage in life, outside my studio. Like being a hockey player, it is something that grew from love and play and a love of this thing called ‘making art’ more than anything else in the world. Turning a childhood dream into something that sustains me, still seems like a dream, one that comes true every day that I wake up and stumble out of bed.

Sky through veil and light by Brandy Saturley on 500px.com

My day begins just like yours, but what I do all day is a balancing act between right and left brain. Between what I want to do (make art) and what I need to do (sell art and communicate with people outside my studio). These are polar opposite things, one is creating something from the purest voice within and one is about commerce and structure and marketing. One is highly personal and one is a means to making more art and the career grow and art last generations. A dealer said to me the other day, I shouldn’t be thinking about the latter, but that it also should be the most important thing, this explains the art business in the most succinct way I am able, from the perspective of an artist navigating it. As a hyper-sensitive artist with a bulletproof set of armour, this could drive one to drink or go crazy, and sometimes it is quite hard to reconcile these two halves.

So while we endeavor to make art for arts sake, sometimes we need to make art for commerce sake, so we can continue to do the first, and magically sometimes the two converge and this is the sweet spot.

My weeks and days are flexible but I also adhere to a routine. I get up early, have coffee work in the office until about 11am and then head down to the studio. I paint until noon, break for lunch and exercise and then back at the painting until dinner. Then more office work, reading, maybe a webinar, and build a list for the next day. I have a number of lists, weekly to do, daily to do, annual to do. I have lists for my office and for my studio work. These lists differ greatly, the studio list is mostly ideas for work, series of paintings and future shows. The office is all the rest, the submissions, emails, newsletters, website, social media, sales, shipping.

My studio has become a sacred space, a place where I make art, have my art books and all the things I have collected that relate to work I may make in the future. I moved my office out of my studio after a flood during the pandemic and it was the best decision I ever made, I feel it has changed my work completely. The studio is now a place I can really disappear into the flow of painting and creating. Listening to music and books, a place where I can read and reflect. My studio is by far my favourite place in the world. It is all I really need in the whole world, to make me happy.

Brandy Saturley Studio – Victoria, BC Canada

I have often said that artists are like athletes, I have written about it many times before. Athletes and Artists aren’t very fond of this comparison, perhaps because one relates to physical exertion and physical toughness and a competitive nature. I think if I were to take any athletic sport and contrast it with being an artist it would be golf. For with golf as with art, the competition is with yourself, and it is a lifelong sport and while there is a development of skills and discipline, so much of the game is in the head and with the elements. Athletes and artists have to find a way to fund their careers, they have to find patrons, sponsors, and supporters. They have to find a mental toughness and block out the world around them, but also be open to everything the world delivers.

The Heavy Lifting of Art Making – Brandy Saturley

A Day in The Life – The Artist Process

Every few months I find myself on the road, with living on an island on the extreme west coast of Canada, I find it is integral to keeping myself engaged in the conversation of Art, outside of my immediate world. These ‘art road trips’ offer the opportunity to break out my Nikon and work out my photographer’s eye. These trips also offer the opportunity to engage with the places I visit and these art communities. Visits to art museums and galleries, offer opportunities to keep myself sharp and engaged in the global conversation of art. These trips offer the time to breath, to experience a new place and new perspectives. Adventures that get me writing, photographing, sketching and thinking, deeply. This is my process as an Artist.

Brandy Saturley with her Nikon at Cape Spear Lighthouse, Newfoundland

This is what Artists’ do all day. We continuously fill the vessel, soak up the rhythms of the world and pour it out in many different ways. We are disciplined, but also need time for play and discovery. We are always seeking to go further with our art and challenge ourselves and our conversations with the world. We are diving rods planted deeply within the Earth, and it can be hard to disconnect from this, so we must keep schedules, this helps.

To see more of my journey and inside my studio, check this out.

April 3, 2024

Painting Cape Spear Lighthouse

New Paintings

The Eastern-most Point in North America: Painting Cape Spear Lighthouse

It was my first week in Newfoundland and my plan for this first week in residence at the James Baird/Pouch Cove Foundation was to explore and soak up some iconic locations. The impressions I arrived with about this distinctive Canadian locale were as follows; fishermen, cod, Sou’Wester hats and lighthouses. I never set out to paint lighthouses before, even though I have visited a few on my west coast island home. This tells the story behind painting Cape Spear Lighthouse.

As we began our day, a drive down the coast of the Avalon peninsula, through St. John’s and up and over a hill hiding the eastern-most point on the coast of North America. As we came through the dense dwarf pines and juniper of Newfoundland a naked point appeared where the rock looked like dinosaurs and was colored iron oxide red. Cape Spear offers many things besides the tall angular white lighthouse. There are a few buildings that dot the landscape all dressed in whites with stripes and details of coast guard signal red.

Cape Spear Lighthouse and grounds, Newfoundland, Canada by Brandy Saturley on 500px.com

On this day the clouds and light were shifting quickly and dramatically, the scene changing from minute to minute. The wind on this day was hurricane force, it was a challenging climb up the side of the hill to the top and once there we really had to hold on or be blown out to sea! The historic happenings at this place are astounding, to say the least. On Canada’s most easterly point of land, the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador offers a glimpse into the lives of 19th century lighthouse keepers and their families. Marvel at icebergs, migrating whales, and hunting seabirds on this rough Atlantic coast.

Discovering Cape Spear: A Journey Through History

We began a journey through time as we unraveled the captivating history of Cape Spear, a region steeped in heritage and resilience. From its indigenous roots to its pivotal role in World War II and its iconic lighthouse, each chapter reveals a unique facet of this remarkable destination. Long before the arrival of European settlers, the Cape Spear region was home to the Beothuk peoples, who thrived amidst its rugged beauty. Their presence intertwined with that of the Mi’kmaq communities, whose nomadic lifestyle echoed through the land, leaving an indelible mark on its landscape. Venturing into the annals of time, we discover the origins of Cape Spear’s name—a testament to the resilience and optimism of the human spirit. From its Portuguese roots as “Cabo da Esperança” to its French adaptation as “Cap d’Espoir,” and finally, its anglicized rendition as “Cape Spear,” each iteration carries with it a tale of hope and endurance.

Guardians of the Sea: World War II

As the world plunged into the darkness of World War II, Cape Spear emerged as a strategic stronghold, guarding the entrance to St. John’s harbor. Canadian-manned gun batteries stood sentinel, their silent vigil a testament to the bravery of those who defended these shores. Today, remnants of this pivotal era stand as silent witnesses to history, offering visitors a glimpse into the past.

Beacons of Light: Newfoundland Lighthouses

Perched majestically upon the rugged cliffs, the Cape Spear Lighthouse stands as a beacon of hope and guidance for seafarers navigating treacherous waters. With its origins tracing back to 1836, it holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland. Step inside its hallowed halls, where echoes of the past reverberate, and discover the legacy of those who tended its light through the ages.

Preserving Heritage: A Legacy of Protection

In recognition of its historical significance, Cape Spear has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada. The meticulous restoration of the original lighthouse and keeper’s residence transports visitors back to the bygone era of 1839, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who called this rugged coastline home. Wander through the halls of the visitor center, where tales of yore come alive amidst a treasure trove of memorabilia.

Navigating Nature’s Fury: Cautionary Tales

Amidst the breathtaking beauty of Cape Spear lies a reminder of nature’s untamed spirit. The mighty waves that crash against its cliffs, though mesmerizing, bear a solemn warning. Parks Canada’s vigilant efforts to safeguard visitors underscore the importance of heeding these cautionary signs, ensuring that all who tread upon these shores do so with reverence and respect.

Whether you seek adventure, enlightenment, or simply a moment of tranquility amidst nature’s grandeur, Cape Spear awaits, ready to unveil its secrets to those who dare to explore.

CapeSpear_NEW_10 by Brandy Saturley on 500px.com

The Work Behind The Painting: Cape Spear Lighthouse

As my process goes, it begins with my attention being drawn to something specific, in this case it was planning a day long excursion to Cape Spear. Then the exploration begins on foot with Nikon and iPhone in tow, documenting the day through photography and video. Hiking to the top of the point, hanging onto the white picket fence-line, letting the wind carry me along the the fence until I could sit in the Parks Canada red Adirondack chairs. Watching the light, shadows and clouds move and the scene change rapidly.

Having my hair catch in my mouth and blind me as I hiked along. Walking through the tunnels under the site and standing where the soldiers of WWII stood. Feeling the pounding waves shake the ground, mesmerized by the continuous metamorphosis of the white crest of the wave. Breathing in the salty air, touching the rock beneath my feet, sometimes sharp and sometimes smooth. Letting the sounds of the wind and waves block out all other sounds, the white noise of nature. Feeling the energy of the wind, it’s playful like a child dancing around you and screaming loudly. Thinking, it would be humorous to open an umbrella in a place such as this, with dreaming of it carrying me up in the air like Mary Poppins.

The wind dances here, the waves are like a dramatic conductor of an intense symphony and the sky and clouds like sheep being herded my dogs across a never-ending field. Returning back to my studio at Pouch Cove, sitting down to write. Then five months later finding myself back in that place at Cape Spear while looking through my photography and video. And now with this painting, number 11 in a series that continues to unfold here on the west coast of Canada in my Vancouver Island studio.

CapeSpear_NEW_3 by Brandy Saturley on 500px.com

The resulting painting finding a title, through my love of The Beatles music. With Wind and Without – a play on words from a Beatles tune and sentiment, ”life goes on within you and without you”.

With Wind and Without, 48×30, acrylic on canvas, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

See more about this painting, here.

March 25, 2024

Artist’s Block Explained

Advice for Artists

In a recent promotional talk for my upcoming mentorship group with Mastrius, I was asked about experiencing Artist’s Block, and my response has consistently been, “No.” Do a Google search for strategies on dealing with Artist’s Block and you will find hundreds of websites and therapists offering techniques to dealing with it, but I have yet to find it explained as what it truly is, fear.

Artist’s block refers to a creative obstacle or mental barrier that prevents an artist from generating new ideas or producing work. It is a condition of creative stagnation, where the individual may struggle to find inspiration or motivation to create art. Overcoming artist’s block often involves finding new sources of inspiration, experimenting with different techniques, or taking a break to refresh the mind.

I have never suffered from finding ideas (inspiration), and I begin every new painting by adding a new challenge, this helps to keep me interested and motivated and moving forward. Technical stagnation can happen, but this is only because of fear. Since I began painting, I have never gone longer than a month without making a new painting, that makes more than twenty years of making new original paintings.

What I have experienced as an artist is the opposite of artist’s block, and that is burn out. I touched on it briefly in my talk, and I did experience a work stoppage in 2021 brought on by the pandemic and working too much and having limited social connection. This mental burn out landed me in hospital for a month. It was a wild month and an experience I have written about, privately. What was most fascinating to me is, that even though I couldn’t paint, I found myself healing through making art. I was drawing every day, in that month in hospital I did 100 drawings, and they are completely different than anything I paint, and I love them dearly. Perhaps someday they will accompany my writings from that time and become a roadmap for others experiencing something similar.

So going back to Artist’s Block. I think we need to rebrand this term and start calling it what it is, ‘fear’. It is the number one thing that keeps us alive, but also causes us to freeze in our tracks and not move forward in life. BE it art making or anything else in life, it is fear that truly stops us from realizing that which could transform us into our ideal selves.

A favourite quote of mine from ‘Chuck Close’ speaks to artist’s block or waiting for inspiration statement, and it is a favourite because it addresses fear head on.

“Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.”

To navigate through creative challenges, the most effective technique is simply to work through it. Whether on canvas, paper, or a digital medium, persistence is crucial. Instead of discarding incomplete work, keep pushing forward, allowing the process to guide the evolution of ideas.

JUST. KEEP. GOING.

Let Your Backbone Rise, Acrylic, 36 x 36 inches, 2016, Brandy Saturley

December 5, 2023

A Ballad for Newfoundland

Artist Process, Artist Residency

A Ballad for Day Nine: Pouch Cove Foundation Artist Residency

As day nine at my Pouch Cove Foundation residency begins in rural Newfoundland, I am reflecting on this first week of exploring far reaches of the island and downtown St. John’s. My goal with any residency is to immerse myself in the culture, the landscapes, icons and people of a place and Newfoundland is rich with all of these things. Surviving here on the easternmost point in North America takes grit, inventiveness, gratitude, and community. I am writing and painting a ballad for Newfoundland.

As I work through all the imagery, moving and still, I have captured on my Nikon and my iPhone my goal is to have three distinctive visual stories sketched out on three large canvasses stapled to my studio wall, by days end. Writing down my ideas in my black composition notebook, then typing them out on this blog, helps to build the framework for what I decide to paint.

This morning I am listening to a playlist I built during my Banff Centre artist residency last winter. The playlist includes Joni, Neil, Billie. The Hip and Debussy. Over the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend I was down in Petty Harbour, where I heard some live jigs and reels in a place called Chafe’s. I heard stories of Alan Doyle as we ate lobster and ‘recovery fries’. The vessel I am as I travel my homeland and I’ve written my own song, to go along with the days ahead.

Beneath the sou’wester sky, where the ocean meets the rocks,
In Newfoundland’s embrace, where the wind talks,
Jelly bean houses, in colors so bold,
Tell tales of a history, weathered and old.

(Chorus)
Oh, Newfoundland, with your dories on the shore,
Codfish dreams, where the lighthouses soar,
In the arms of the cliffs, where the wind does play,
A maritime ballad, echoes every day.

Fishermen cast their hopes, like nets in the sea,
A dance with the waves, as wild as can be,
Siding tales of reships, that sailed long ago,
In the heart of the harbour, where stories still flow.

Oh, Newfoundland, with your dories on the shore,
Codfish dreams, where the lighthouses soar,
In the arms of the cliffs, where the wind does play,
A maritime ballad, echoes every day.

The salty air whispers, as the reships set sail,
Journeying through tales, where the ocean is the trail,
And the beer in the taverns, flows like a stream,
In the warmth of the hearth, where dreams find their theme.

In the echo of the wind, and the seagull’s cry,
Amongst the jelly bean houses, where time passes by,
A symphony of stories, etched in the land,
As Newfoundland’s heart beats, with a weathered hand.

Oh, Newfoundland, with your dories on the shore,
Codfish dreams, where the lighthouses soar,
In the arms of the cliffs, where the wind does play,
A maritime ballad, echoes every day.

So let the winds carry, the tales of the sea,
From the reships to the rocks, where the heart longs to be,
Newfoundland, in your essence so clear,
A timeless ballad, for every seafarer to hear.

October 9, 2023

Sunday Muse

Artist Process, Inspiration

Where My Ideas Come From, the Sunday Muse.

In my work leading up to a residency in Newfoundland, I have been operating from my office instead of my studio this week. While it’s the ‘less fun’ place to work, it is just as integral to my art career. I have invoices to create, inventory to manage, a website to keep current, and, of course, the task of writing this blog and keeping up with my Sunday Muse.

I’ve been putting a bit more effort into it this year than I usually do. It has proven to be a great source for connecting with new collectors and offering a peek behind the curtain. On Sundays this year, I have been sharing my ‘Sunday Muse’ with my Facebook family. It opens a door to my thoughts and where my ideas begin brewing, eventually becoming finished artworks. I like to write in short bouts; it adds another dimension to the work. I’ve never been good at speaking my mind as my thoughts often wander when asked to speak at length. I’ve always communicated better through images while I paint and on the page as I write. I know there is a book in me somewhere, and I am getting much closer to making this happen.

With Newfoundland on my mind, I’ve developed a loose schedule and working structure for my month on the east coast. While I am there to absorb the local culture and natural wonders, and it will be a time led by intuition and creating in the moment, the loose structure of my days helps ease the transition from my home studio to a studio in a new location. I want to get the most out of my time, and a loose structure and plan help me ensure this will happen.

I’ve been listening to a lot of Neil Young this week while I get lost in paperwork and updates around the web. Coldplay was my live playlist last week as we took in the Coldplay Music of the Spheres world tour at BC Place in Vancouver. The concert was not really a concert but an experience. It transcended a mere venue presentation of musical artists; it was an uplifting love fest filled with lighted bracelets and the movement of lighted wrists to music. I wasn’t seeing Chris Martin and his band on stage; I was seeing color and light and movement. It was an experience of the highest power, and as I sit here in my Spinalis chair that moves with my spine, I am swaying to another Brit of great wonder and grandeur, David Bowie. “I will be King,, and you will be Queen, though nothing will drive them away, we can beat them, just for one day. We can be heroes, just for one day.” And we were heroes that day at Coldplay.

In fact, if I reflect on the moment when I began contemplating what to write in this post, the term ‘Generation X’ is on my mind. There’s been a surge of memes circulating on the internet lately. You’ve probably come across them; they often feature a photo of Judd Nelson from the Breakfast Club with captions like ‘Gen X, the only generation that became 30 at age 10, and still is 30 at 50.’ As a proud Gen X’er, I can relate; it never fails to bring a laugh and a smile because it resonates with my truth. I’ve been labeled an old soul. I didn’t enjoy being around screaming children when I was a child, and I still don’t. However, I’ll happily whoop and throw my fist forward at a concert—go figure. With no children of my own, I’m essentially a big child who plays in my studio and communicates with the world through my paintings. Remember that quote by Picasso? “The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” and I still haven’t. I find more joy around children now than I did when I was one.

Returning to ‘Gen X’—many of us are likely unaware of the origin of this term in contemporary usage. ‘Generation X’ has been employed at various times to describe alienated youth, dating as far back as the 1950s post-WWII era. It firmly embedded itself in contemporary culture after Vancouver artist—and one of my favorites—Douglas Coupland, published the novel ‘Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture’ back in 1991.

The trajectory of my thoughts leads me to the significance of music in my work. As I contemplate where the music of Newfoundland will take me while I paint in my studio at the Pouch Cove Foundation, only time will tell. I am ready to soar. Come, float along with me on this journey as I create paintings, prose, videos, and capture images on my Nikon D810. The muse is in motion, and so am I.

September 28, 2023

Ahead of Their Time

Artist Process, New Paintings

By Centuries: Artist’s Ahead of Their Time

There are numerous articles and books that talk about Artist’s ahead of their time. Perhaps the most famous painter described as being ahead of their time is Van Gogh. Over the centuries there have been many, who were painting about the culture of the time and their thoughts. So while they were painting what they were living, they were in many ways addressing internal thoughts about the future.

As I continue to explore themes about contemporary Canadian culture and my journey as a Canadian Artist, I find myself intuitively addressing questions that are currently on my mind, through my art. Right now I find myself on a path of painting figurative works about Canada, set against vivid backdrops of shadow, light and saturated colour. With my first few paintings this year, I find myself romanced by outdoor skating on frozen ponds and lakes. I am listening to a soundtrack filled with poetic lyrics that project images of joy and appreciation for life. These sounds are colourful, haunting and even romantic. From Joni Mitchell looking for a river to skate away on, to the Tragically Hip who are ahead by a century, the soundtrack flowing in the studio is important to the flow of my paintbrush.

My hope in posting this article is to share a little behind the scenes experience into how I work in the studio and how this new painting came to live. I carry a large cotton duck canvas of five feet high by four feet wide down to my studio and I begin to sketch out the idea I’ve been developing. A painting about two women, becoming one. One Inuit woman wrapped in a Hudson’s Bay Eight Point Scarlett blanket, and one Caucasian woman wearing a red parka with furry white trim. The backdrop will be Northern Lights (aurora borealis) and the night sky filled with stars, some shooting and some larger than life. One woman with the ear of a wolf and one the antler of a stag deer. Together these two women will appear to be shapeshifting and becoming one under the Aurora night sky. It is a magical, spiritual and futuristic story about friendship and common ground. This painting tells stories of how life should be for all Canadians, and this painting speaks of sisterhood and equality.

While I begin with an initial rough sketch on canvas, I move on quickly to laying down an underpainting through colour blocking in neon hues.

My palette becomes a furious abstract painting and evidence of an artist busy painting.

Once I have laid down all the underlying colours I move on to painting out the background, blending on the canvas as I go and this leads me to a question, do I want more texture in this painting? and the answer is, yes.

After the first few days I take the canvas and lay it flat on my studio floor, I begin applying dots of paint through pouring paint in a loose pattern to the background sky of the piece, then the piece has to dry overnight and harden before I can begin the second day of painting. I do this numerous times, and create dots of varying sizes, each by hand, painting over each layer as I work.

I move the painting to my crank easel so that I can work more finely on details in the lower portion of the canvas, thankfully I have numerous easels and lots of space in my studio so that I can work on this canvas from multiple vantage points and orientations.

Detailing the hair and face in this painting, because my style of working is very much influenced by realism but also pop art. An idealized portrait, and some might refer to it as magic realism. I refer to my style as ‘Canadian Pop Realism’.

Once the details are done and I feel like the journey of this painting has come to an end, I sit back and take long looks at the piece, contemplating it’s story and overall balance. There has to be ‘a flow’ in the composition, the eye must move around and then land somewhere in the centre of those faces, they are the focal point of this piece.

Once I am finished the front of the painting, the edges get their treatment of texture and colour to compliment the piece.

Ahead by Centuries, acrylic and gouache on canvas, 60″h x 48″ w, 2023, Brandy Saturley

A painting that perhaps in it’s time, may be ahead of it’s time. See more visual stories on canvas by Brandy Saturley here.

February 7, 2023

Chair of Contemplation

Artist Process

The Chair of Contemplation: those final looks before a painting is complete

When is a painting finished? Picasso stated a work of art is finished when you have been through with it, to rid a painting of it’s soul, to kill it and give it it’s final blow. Those final looks at a piece from a chair of contemplation are something every painter knows, it is perhaps the most important part of the artist process. Da Vinci once wrote that “art is never finished, only abandoned”, a romantic statement about the relationship between artist and art. When Warhol was asked this question his response was famously, “when the cheque clears”, which certainly refers to the economy of art and getting paid.

Over the years I have come to document and celebrate these final moments of applying paint to canvas. Yes, I do believe that I must abandon the work like Da Vinci, but for me it comes from the perspective of leaving a journey behind. For me each painting I create is a journey, it begins long before brush hits the canvas, and ends once the painting leaves my studio easels. A finished painting is a painting that has been signed, edges painted and finishing varnish applied and dried. Once all of these steps are completed the painting is truly finished and ready to sell to a collector or send to a gallery.

These final moments in the journey of a painting happen through intense examination of the piece. From my studio chair, a rusty orange old velour chair passed down over generations of family, this chair has become known as the ‘Chair of Contemplation’. In 2016, I was sitting in my chair reviewing the final details of a painting and it came to me, I realized that this integral part of the artist process should in fact have it’s own moment, giving my viewers a peek inside the world of an artist. Every single painting I have made since has been documented in this manner, and these moments have become art themselves, performance art. With each chair of contemplation photo I have come to delve deep into the what I am saying with the work and the moment, what I am wearing, how I am posing, the moment, each moment has become a statement about the work I am contemplating.

At some point I hope to compile these moments and photographs into a book and exhibition, for now a few #chairofcontemplation photos to enjoy.

Chair of Contemplation – Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley

Chair of Contemplation – Brandy Saturley with paintings and art crates

Brandy Saturley in her Vancouver Island studio

Brandy Saturley in her North Saanich studio

Brandy Saturley with Canadian prairie paintings

Brandy Saturley with polar bear paintings

Brandy Saturley wearing bowler hat and HBC point blanket

See the finished paintings.

September 6, 2022

Journey of Art

Artist Process

The Journey of Art: creating an oversized contemporary Canadian landscape painting

How long does it take an artist to create an oversized contemporary painting of the Canadian landscape? It is not an easy question to answer, especially when a painting unfolds during a transitional period in the world. This painting of the iconic Princess Louisa Inlet began after an artist journey to London, England. The painting was created in the last few months of 2019 on loose un-finished cotton canvas duck. The piece appeared in a short documentary film and then went into storage until 2020. Then COVID took over the world and the artist turned her focus back to her work at hand, painting her visual stories of Canada. As the world came to level out again, an opportunity to stretch and finish the canvas for sale. Really GREAT ART, takes time, and a pandemic delivered this gift of time. Chronicling the journey of art, a behind the scenes recap.

Initial painting of the Landscape on un-stretched cotton duck canvas.

Stretching the canvas at Presentation Framing in Sidney, BC

Now that the painting is stretched to it’s final size, it asks for more details, it is not quite finished yet. A red canoe, a new sky, and some added details throughout.

Viewing the painting in the golden light outside, partially due to BC Forest fires and a hazy sky.

Another look in the light after a UV protective varnish is applied.

Temporary hang on wall to sign, examine, and prepare for final documentation of the painting through photography.

Final photo of the piece and installation example. This piece needs a large feature wall in a home or in a corporate office or hotel lobby.

This is the journey of Art and it takes time to create a lasting visual story on canvas. This piece is both contemporary but also has a modern art feel in it’s execution. Experimenting with brush strokes and the actual staining of this canvas in order to produce soft background effects. While the piece is a bit of a departure from my more figurative works, I still managed to retain my ‘pop art style’ and palette. This piece certainly reflects my affinity for Canadian landscapes and the iconic red canoe, which acts as the focal point of the piece. It is a gem that deserves a great big feature wall.

See more detailed photos of this painting.

August 19, 2021

A Canadian Christmas Painting

Artist Process

Making a Canadian Christmas Painting That Sums Up 2020

Every December I set aside some time to create my interpretation of a Canadian Christmas Painting. While the world is shopping, organizing and hanging Christmas lights; I am enjoying the warmth and mood of my studio. Passionately painting, preparing mail outs, and reviewing the year that is; I am fully immersed in the work and the sounds of the Sonos speaker pumping out colourful tunes. Where this Christmas painting began and where it ended, I think may be interesting to you. It may be one of the most wild ride’s my mind has been on, before landing on the canvas. In late October I made my monthly run to Opus, a place in Victoria where I buy some of my supplies, and always my canvas. All year I have had circles on my mind, maybe brought on by the social bubbles Dr. Bonnie Henry has been speaking of since the pandemic took hold of our news, online and broadcast. With this in mind I walked into my art supplier with one mission, come home with a round canvas, of wooden panel. This beauty was waiting for me, and I swiftly scooped her up, and headed home. It has been a while since I painted on wood panel, I think the last piece was this self-portrait with Lawren Harris Mountain Forms from 2017. The beautiful thing about painting on a smooth and mostly uniform surface of wood, details can be pin sharp or muted soft, depending on how much gesso (primer) you lay down, and how many times you sand each layer, or not at all. I don’t like too much gesso, I like the muted softness created by a surface that absorbs and is pretty flat.

Having just finished a self-portrait about Remembrance Day 2020, I felt it was important to continue with this theme of self. Carrying the weight of the times and processing my role as a leading Canadian Artist, who has carved my own path, independently.

Staring at this round canvas, and thinking of my Canadian upbringing I began with thinking about round things in Canada. When asking the question of others, ‘What is round and Canadian’ the answer time and time again was, ‘hockey puck’. I actually thought long and hard about making an epic realistic painting in various tones of black to grey, literally making the canvas into a giant dimensional black puck. An epic black hole, kind of fitting in this pandemic year. But I wasn’t willing to give this beautiful new wood canvas to the absence of colour.

My brain kept going and then I received email from Alanis Morissette, well her fan club, telling me about the anniversary of Jagged Little Pill and her new album, “such pretty forks in the road”

Then music, the medium in general and the message, and how vinyl has made a huge re-appearance. Yes, that’s it a giant turntable with Jagged Little Pill playing on it, I will paint that, it’s perfect.

The brain kept going, for weeks I kept staring at this beautiful round canvas of wood, with my painting of Remembrance, and thought where do I want to go from here…what makes sense in this body of work and this year, what am I trying to convey through the work. I grabbed a Hudson’s Bay point blanket throw I had sitting on my studio couch. I threw the wood tondo (round) onto the floor and I wrapped the blanket round the edge and started taking photos. I began to see a wreath, a Christmas wreath.

Ok, so the outside of this wreath painting will be an HBC point blanket, what will the inside be, what’s the story? What am I trying to convey? What if I were in the center of the wreath, but you couldn’t see my face, like I am looking at you through the wreath, and my nose and mouth are covered, like they are masked? What if I was wearing a really pointy red toque, like the toque Alanis is wearing in the ‘Ironic’ video?

Now we are talking, here we go….and the rest happened on the canvas, without premeditations.

Beginning with a sketch on the wood tondo I picked up from my local art supply, OPUS.

Then some neon gouache colour blocking.

Then some more colour blocking and underpainting. The blueprint of this painting is well underway.

Over the course of two weeks and daily painting, this painting is realized and the tondo becomes more than a round panel of primed wood. What once was a panel of wood, is now a work of art. Marking history, telling a story, and asking the viewer to SEE. To look at the world through another set of eyes, the eyes of the artist, who makes their full-time business watching and seeing. The things you have not time for, the artist sees and puts into their work. That is my job, for lack of a better word. I know it is my duty, my solace, and my purpose. It has been as long as I can remember.

Please enjoy this ‘Canadian Christmas 2020’ painting. This is ‘Wreath of Irony‘. Isn’t it a wee bit Ironic?

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley (#ironiccanuck)

December 1, 2020

Remembrance Day Painting 2020

Artist Process

Making a Remembrance Day Painting in The Pandemic Year

Talking about making a Remembrance Day Painting, and looking at the artist process behind making a painting in 2020.

In Canada, red poppies seem to conjure thoughts and feelings about Remembrance Day and family that has served, or is currently serving in our Canadian Forces. I have painted red poppies a number of times over the years, but none seemed to touch Canadians as much as this piece created in 2014, inspired by the women of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps.

Perhaps it is because many of us had grandmothers, mothers and even great-grandmothers serve. Many people have sent me the most lovely notes about this piece over the years, it seems to connect with Canadians widely and on a deep level, with many seeing their own mothers in the piece. I have been interviewed about the piece, shown it in public and private galleries. Please enjoy this Remembrance Day Art.

A New Painting with Poppies: with this new painting my focus is Remembrance Day, as it is approaching and it has been 6 years since I have referenced the day in my artwork. I am mindful of how this day will look in this pandemic year. As this year is quickly coming to a close, I am looking at the paintings which I have made this year. I feel that this piece here, right behind my bowler hat and white gloves, is my very best of the year.

This piece brings together my pop aesthetic, realistic details, and symbolism – it is striking and simple in my design. I begin painting by sketching an outline of my idea on stretched cotton canvas. Then I outline again and add shading in a complementary colour, to the final colour I will be painting on top. In this case I am using variations of green for the outline and shading details, as the final colours in the piece will be variations of red.

Next, I begin to colour block and lay down big swathes of reds and oranges, using vigorous brushstrokes.

I continue adding layers of colour from background to foreground, repeating the process with more care each time. This part of the process adds depth, fine textures and various tones and shades. I am creating dimension as the piece begins to come to life and pop off the canvas. I also add the flesh tones to the face so that I can assess the overall tonal balance of my palette and within the piece.

I continue to repaint the entire painting, until the desired tonality is reached and definition is achieved. Then I go into the painting with a finer brush and lighter touch and work on the details, linework, and highlights. In this case metallic and interference paints have been added to bring reflective elements to the piece, adding to the overall ‘glow’.

Time for the final review: which has become known as my ‘chair of contemplation’ moments. The time when I stare for a long period of time as my eyes roll back and forth across the canvas and in differing lights, until I am satisfied that the piece is complete.

It has been said that Picasso created 50,000 works in his lifetime, and is known for about 100 of these. Not every painting is a masterpiece, and you must put in the time and make a lot of bad paintings to reach the masterpieces.

I am very happy with how this piece has evolved, and I hope you will enjoy it as well.

I’ll Carry That Weight (Spirit of Remembrance) Original acrylic painting on canvas honouring Remembrance Day 2020 – by Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley. The painting measures 36×36 inches, and is made with acrylic paints on the finest cotton canvas.

You can see more paintings celebrating Canada on my website.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

October 28, 2020