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Weird Art in Canada

What Makes Art Unique – Weird Art in Canada

Having recently returned from an art trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico I came home with a new appreciation for the quirky and even absurdities in Art. Weird art captivates our imagination by pushing boundaries and challenging norms. It reveals aspects of life and human creativity that we rarely encounter. From George Condo’s portraits to modern works like Damien Hirst’s pickled shark, these pieces provoke curiosity, intrigue, and sometimes even discomfort. So, in its eccentricity, weird art invites us to explore the unexpected and embrace the unconventional. Making weird art in Canada.

Sometimes referred to as ‘quirk’, ‘lowbrow’ or ‘funny’ – their have been many weird artworks that have captured our attention, for generations, and we are still talking about these works in the contemporary world. Whether it be ‘American Gothic’, The Scream or the melting clocks of Dali, weird art transcends genres and movements and can be found worldwide. Surreal, whimsical, or absurd art provides an escape from mundane reality. It invites us into fantastical worlds, sparking imagination.

In Canada, we are known as having our own quirky brand of humour, that is distinctly our own. Having travelled across the country over the past two decades soaking up the uniqueness that is Canada, I can attest to the weird wonderfulness that is Canada, but this is not reflected in most of our art galleries, which strikes me as odd. As the ‘Iconic Canuck’ I took my weird and quirky Canadianisms on the road and found an audience amongst those who appreciate laughing at themselves and their country. Underlying these quirky visual tales painted on canvas, a serious undertone about our place in the world and thoughts about the future of our country.

The “Canadianisms” series has toured in both Edmonton and Calgary, and has garnered the artist notoriety as the voice of Canadian Pop Art. In her most recent work, Saturley has turned once again to the landscape, never really having left. Her new, visionary paintings collage different, unexpected elements of Canadiana rendered in her characteristic pop aesthetic. They oscillate between a graphic realism used for Canada’s famous mountain peaks or views of forest lakes, and the abstractness of the colorful, even psychedelic backgrounds. The sincerity of their celebration keeps them from tripping over into kitsch. Instead they are otherworldly and transportive, playful and humorous. ~ Andrea Bell, for Whitehot Magazine

For me it is fun to look back at these weird and wonderful ideas that launched me into the Canadian Art Market and with galleries across the country. Some of my weird art serves as a critique of culture, politics, or consumerism. It highlights absurdities and prompts reflection on societal issues. In 2025, I will celebrate 15 years of painting stories of Canada on canvas, and I have a few things up my sleeve. For now, a trip back through these tongue in cheek narratives about a country known for it’s red maple leaf, Mountie’s, syrup of gold, hockey culture, Nanaimo bars and landscapes.

12 Paintings – Making Weird Art in Canada

From stories of the Oilers defeat and trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Stanley Cup. From tales of the Ukrainian experience to the people of the prairies, Canadian celebrities and the fans. These paintings tell quirky Canadian narratives of yesterday and today.

Death of a Rookie – 32×32, acrylic on canvas, 2012 An ode to the Oilers Steve Smith, in the style of Jacques Louis David, referencing The Death of Marat painting created in 1793. “Saturley’s Death of a Rookie, Rise of a Hero is a take on the political painting The Death of Marat by French painter Jacques-Louis David, 1793.

The Story of the Wayne Gretzky Trade – 48×36, acrylic on canvas, 2012 Brandy Saturley – Painting of The Oilers on the ice and Janet Jones in goal, with Gretzky transfixed by her gaze. A tale of the Wayne Gretzky trade to the LA Kings.

A Cup for Louise, 22.5×19, acrylic on canvas, 2013 – Brandy Saturley Imagine an afternoon sipping tea in the tearoom of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, out of Canada’s most coveted cup? Having tea with Stanley at Lake Louise.

The Climb, 48×36, acrylic on canvas, 2015 – Brandy Saturley This piece speaks to the climb we face in all areas of life through referencing the long climb to achieving the Stanley Cup. The piece carries heavy symbolism with Lawren Harris-esque rocky mountains in the background.

The Eh Team, 36×36, acrylic on canvas, 2013 – Brandy Saturley Painting of a mountie with thumb up in a Fonzie-esque ‘eh’

Perogies in the Wind, 30×24, acrylic on canvas, 2012 – Brandy Saturley Painting of perogies hanging from a clothesline on the Canadian Prairie

Bieberscape 24×30, acrylic on canvas, 2011, Brandy Saturley Painting of Justin Beiber hairstyles that he became famous for early in his career. The hair acts and landscapes on the road through the Nevada desert.

Canada is Sweet & Salty, 24×30, acrylic on canvas, 2011 – Brandy Saturley Painting of a naked Pamela Anderson laying on top of a Mackintosh toffee bar at Peggy’s Cove with puffins.

A song for an Alter Ego, acrylic on canvas, 2011, Brandy Saturley Painting of Burton Cummings and his alter ego, on a trip across his catalogue. A Beatles’esque take on Burton’s inner thoughts.

A Punch Line and an Unknown, 36×48, acrylic on canvas, 2013 – Brandy Saturley A painting on an outdoor hockey rink of a group of hockey buddies wearing the ‘Habs’ famous line jersey numbers, along with a goal tender with a paper bag over his head.

Canadiens Gothic, 48×36, acrylic on canvas, 2014 – Brandy Saturley

The original painting the started the People of Canada Portrait Project in 2014, inspired by ‘American Gothic’. “American Gothic (1930) is a painting by American (Iowa) artist Grant Wood. The painting depicts a farmer and someone you may assume to be his wife standing in front of their house. The farmer is dressed simply and holding a pitch fork, the wife is dressed simply as well, adorned by an apron.

In reality, the people in this painting are not as they seem, they are models (artist’s sister and town dentist) that Wood selected to replicate what a typical person living in Iowa would look like. In American Gothic, Wood uses the house and its perspective owners as a satirical outlook on American culture at the time. Saturley’s Canadiens Gothic (from the People of Canada Portrait Project) has a similar setting to Wood’s American Gothic. Shown is a hockey player (Reg) in a Canadiens hockey jersey, holding a hockey stick. Beside him is, we assume, his wife (Penny) wearing a “Hoodie” or a “Bunny Hug” if you are from Saskatchewan. The figures are standing not in front of their home, but in front of a building titled FORUM, “the most storied building in hockey history” and home of the Montreal Canadiens hockey club. Unlike Wood’s American Gothic, the figures in Saturley’s Canadiens Gothic did pose together (selfie taken by Penny) and are a couple living in Manitoba. Replacing the pitch fork with a hockey stick, and replacing the simple but staunch black jacket with a hockey jersey, evokes a level of relaxation on one’s day off.This contrasts the work element (farming) with play (hockey); or, comparatively speaking, a way of life (farming) juxtaposed with the Canadian way of life (hockey). Penny’s attire also gives to the notion of comfort and does not attest to any domestic fortitude

Dreaming in the Colours of Eh, 36×48, acrylic on canvas, 2014 Asleep on an HBC point blanket, the green blanket like a field of emerald grass with red poppies falling from the sky. The poppies made from sheet music of ‘O Canada’. The woman sleeps peacefully with Canada Goose winter hat and ruby red boots, holding a green monopoly house in her right hand. The woman wearing a Vancouver Canucks jersey, but no pants. This piece was created as part of a series referencing the ‘Wizard of Oz’ and my journey home after exhibitions of work in Alberta. Somewhat surrealism, definitely symbolic, this piece tells many stories depending on the viewer. Acrylic painting on canvas with collage.

Remember, art’s impact is subjective, and what’s “weird” varies from person to person. Ultimately, weird art enriches our cultural landscape and invites us to explore the extraordinary.

June 6, 2024

A Conversation With O’Keeffe

Artist Process, Georgia O'Keeffe, Inspiration

My Trip to Abiquiu, New Mexico: A Conversation With Georgia O’Keeffe

After months of planning, May first finally arrived. We packed the Tesla with all our gear, provisions, and most importantly, pillows. With the passenger window tripod securely affixed, we set out on a long-awaited journey. I’ve written countless times about my deep admiration for Georgia O’Keeffe, the iconic American modernist painter celebrated for her vibrant depictions of flowers and the desert landscapes, flora, and fauna of New Mexico. Though my studio and home are on Vancouver Island along the Pacific Northwest Coast, our path would take us diagonally across seven states, culminating in Santa Fe, New Mexico. On my way to have a conversation with Georgia O’Keeffe.

New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, 2024, Brandy Saturley

Our destination, New Mexico, particularly the enchanting locale of Abiquiú, has a rich history. Settled by Tewa Pueblo families and the Roman Catholic Church in 1742, Abiquiú is known as “wild chokecherry place” in the Tewa language. The vivid canyons and majestic mountains surrounding Abiquiú have served as the backdrop for numerous films, including Red Dawn, Silverado, Lonesome Dove, City Slickers, 3:10 to Yuma, No Country For Old Men, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Cowboys & Aliens, The Lone Ranger, and Breaking Bad.

Georgia O’Keefe studio in Abiquiu, New Mexico – Brandy Saturley 2024

We arrive in Santa Fe on Cinco de Mayo and are greeted by a parade of Chicanos and Mexican Americans proudly and literally rocking their meticulously painted low-riders. A lowrider is a customized car with a lowered body that emerged among Mexican American youth in the 1940s. Lowrider also refers to the driver of the car and their participation in lowrider car clubs, which remain a part of Chicano culture and have since expanded internationally. These customized vehicles are also artworks, generally being painted with intricate, colorful designs, unique aesthetic features, and rolling on wire-spoke wheels with whitewall tires. Lowrider rims are generally smaller than the original wheels. They are often fitted with hydraulic systems that allow height adjustable suspension, allowing the car to be lowered or raised by switch.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations 2024, Santa Fe Plaza, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

With Santa Fe as our home base for five days the plan was to begin with visiting the Georgia O’Keeffe home and studio in Abiquiu. A one hour drive from Santa Fe through valleys of brush and arid landscapes we came to a curve in the road and a destination between two mountain ranges. The O’Keeffe Welcome Centre, the meeting point to begin a guided tour of just over and hour. In the welcome centre there are a few exhibits of items from the O’Keeffe homes and her closet, some of her mid-century modern chairs, a short film and a library of books all about the artist. From her paintings, to pottery, photography, her relationships with designers from fashion to furniture and jewelry to her passion for growing her own food and cooking. There is also a gift shop that sells many unique items by local artists and of course copies of O’Keeffe’s work and her famous hats.

Georgia O’Keeffe Welcome Center, Abiquiu, New Mexico – 2024 Brandy Saturley

We board a tour bus, with a few other O’Keeffe fans and we head out with a tour guide who is not only a painter himself of forty years, but also a fine arts teacher. He tells us that he and his wife enjoyed the tour so much when they came, that he ended up taking on the job of tour guide, and what a wonderful, passionate and informative tour we enjoyed. We began with her garden and learned of the only two days per week local irrigation system called acequia, in this remote climate. I did not know she was such a committed gardener and she grew most everything she would need to sustain her in this desert locale.

Georgia O’Keeffe home garden, Abiquiu, New Mexico, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

After, we entered through a tiny side door to her inner courtyard, depicted in many paintings and photographs of the iconic artist over the years. It was a hot and windy day, the sand under your feet in the courtyard reflects the red and earthy tones of the adobe structure. It is here you begin to feel her presence, or at least I did, as I drifted off into the moment feeling and hearing the wind, inhaling the dry smells and noticing the shadows cast by the mid-day light. This indeed was a place for an artist to live and work, and that artist was Georgia O’Keeffe herself. After talking about her ultimate reason for buying this place in 1945, the door in the courtyard, which she painted many times over the years.

Georgia O’Keeffe Home – courtyard and door, Abiquiu New Mexico, 2024, Brandy Saturley

Having to leave the courtyard is difficult, but I knew it led to her living room and the beautiful picture window and skylights within, and I was ready to enter that home where she spent at least half her year every year until her death at 98 years old. A good long life, likely due to her mostly vegetarian diet of fresh foods and her active lifestyle in the garden, the landscapes and the studio. The dining room is next and comes with a window back into the courtyard, a small nook fireplace and a wooden table with sawhorses for legs. The style is modern, practical and minimalist, from mid-century modern furniture to simple wooden structures. All the lights hanging from the ceiling are just bulbs hanging from wires, with the exception of the hanging light in this area, it is simply and round paper shade of white, from her time in Japan, not Ikea.

O’Keeffe Home Abiquiu, New Mexico, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

From the dining room we can peer through another window that opens to another inner courtyard where her famous spiral sculpture sits, wooden slats across the roof and mostly open to the elements. The light here is magnificent and glowing, there is a real warm yellow cast to the light in New Mexico, quite the contrast to another favourite of mine and O’Keeffe’s, Hawaii’s light is much cooler blue in contrast.

O’Keeffe Home and Studio, Abiquiu New Mexico, 2024 – Brandy Saturley

From region to region, colors change dramatically. In New Mexico, the light encompasses a full spectrum of colors, reflected both in the landscape and the sky, offering a broader array of shades than almost anywhere else. I have personally counted around 50 shades of green in the landscapes, and the sky’s personality shifts daily. The seasonal changes are remarkably distinct, and the transformation of light is truly wondrous. Consider how changing the color of sunglasses alters your perception of light; that’s akin to how the light itself changes in New Mexico. However, while New Mexico’s light is captivating, it isn’t necessarily better for painters. North light, which is more neutral and blue, is often preferred for painting. The yellow tint of southern light can affect color perception. What makes New Mexico’s light so fascinating is its impact on the landscape, rendering colors unlike those found elsewhere in the country. Each season offers a broad range of colors: Winter presents stark contrasts, Spring bursts with green, Summer is rich with vibrant hues, and Autumn is golden and vivid blue.

O’Keeffe home in the kitchen, Abiquiu New Mexico – Brandy Saturley

Back on the tour we enter the kitchen with another beautiful view and gorgeous light with root cellar off the kitchen and O’Keeffe’s own plants lining the window like she still lives in this place today. Off the kitchen a big pantry where you can see her canning, some old linens, wine and champagne bottles, as she did have a dinner party now and then between her work and travels. Another interior courtyard and three private guest rooms, if only we could stay one day!

Georgia O’Keeffe studio view – Abiquiu New Mexico, Brandy Saturley 2024

Across this courtyard and parking garage we find the studio building, and it is truly an artist’s paradise. With another big picture window and view of the landscapes and mountains in the distance, the light is everything in this room, it is cooler than the rest of the house, an almost blue light in this room. We find remnants of the artist, some bones, and a collection of rocks. A fireplace, record player, books and a long table used for working. We find an easel, typewriter and storage for paintings. We find a telephone with a hand written contact list beside. The names Arturo and Ansel stand out to me, as her famous friend and iconic landscape photographer Ansel Adams is obviously the Ansel whose phone number is written here. Arturo was her assistant at the end of her life, an artist and potter, he taught her to work with clay when she was in her 80’s. Like I often say, Artists never retire. They may find themselves with limitations as they age, but this offers a challenge and the path to experiment with making art in new ways and new mediums.

Georgia O’Keeffe telephone contact list, Ansel Adams, 2024 Brandy Saturley

Then we walk through her ensuite and closet where her famous black dress hangs, along with many other dresses. A tall narrow door provides passageway into her bedroom, which is made for a bed and not much else and it comes with another iconic view painted by O’Keeffe. The curved road, landscapes, and mountains. This room is all window, and her bed is placed in a way so that she can see the view every morning. Though this was her primary residence and studio, O’Keeffe came and went between her other home at Ghost Ranch, which was her summer place.

Georgia O’Keeffe closet and clothes in Abiquiu home – 2024, Brandy Saturley

As an artist who paints and takes photos I can see why she settled here in her middle age, she knew it would be a place that would fulfill the vessel for years to come, and as she aged and could travel less, this place would sustain the artist impulses. The energy in this place is not only because it was hers, it is also because of the place itself, it feels old, the mountains have stories to tell from centuries of inhabitants and Earthly changes. You can feel the universe here, it is spiritual, it allows you the peace to think and go within, while also being connected to the Earth and nature. I wanted to sit here all day and paint, observe, hike and explore. It is a special place, a scared place, worth many more visits. I can’t help but wonder what O’Keeffe would think of her home now a museum where strangers wander through listening to stories of her time in this place. Thank you Georgia, lovely to be in your presence once again.

View from Georgia O’Keeffe’s bedroom – Abiquiu, New Mexico 2024 Brandy Saturley

Read about my time following O’Keeffe on Maui.

See more photos from Georgia O’Keeffe Home and Studio Tour – Abiquiu, New Mexico

May 21, 2024

Elected to the SCA

Art Career, Art History

Elected to the Society of Canadian Artists

In June this year, the Society of Canadian Artists will celebrate new Elected Members at their Annual General Meeting at the Arts & Letters Club in Toronto, Ontario. As a professional Canadian Artist with nearly twenty years in the Canadian Art business, Brandy Saturley is honoured to be elected to the SCA a talented and dedicated group of Canadian Arts professionals. The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto is a vibrant private members’ club that brings together creative and performing artists, writers, architects, musicians, painters, graphic artists, and more. Established in 1908, it champions the arts in English Canada. The St George’s Hall at 14 Elm Street is a Toronto landmark — a building with a lively history of remarkable colour and vivacity in a convenient downtown location. It has been designated a building of National Historic Significance by the Government of Canada. The focus of Club life and activity is the Great Hall, a splendid room with a cathedral ceiling, and wonderfully tongue-in-cheek banners by J.E.H. MacDonald celebrating the names of illustrious early Members. Celebrated club members include; A.Y. Jackson, Vincent Massey and J.E.H MacDonald.

What is the SCA? (Society of Canadian Artists)

The Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) is a national, non-profit artists’ organization dedicated to expanding the visibility and stature of the visual arts in Canada. In a country so creatively diverse, art is an anthem. Officially founded in 1972 (although germinating since 1957), the SCA is the young, national, non-profit artists’ organization born to foster and celebrate the visual arts and artists in Canada. They are a collection of some of the country’s most committed traditional and new media artists welcoming the new, the up-and-coming and the established.

Let Your Backbone Rise, 36×36, acrylic on canvas, 2016, Brandy Saturley

Elected to the SCA: What Does it Mean to be an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists?

Being an Elected Member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) is a prestigious recognition for professional artists who have undergone a rigorous adjudication process. Being an Elected Member of the SCA signifies recognition, commitment, and active participation in the vibrant world of Canadian visual arts. Carrying the SCA designation signifies recognition, commitment, and active participation in the world of Canadian Visual Arts.

Brandy Saturley Studio, North Saanich, BC, Canada – 2020

Who are some notable current and past elected Canadian member artists of the SCA?

The Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) boasts a roster of talented artists who have made significant contributions to the Canadian art scene.

While we don’t have an exhaustive list, here are a few notable members:

Ray Phelps: Served as President of the SCA.
Tom Chatfield: Another past President who left his mark on the organization.
Pat Fairhead: An accomplished artist associated with the SCA.
D. Bellerby: Contributed to the SCA’s vibrant community.
Ina Gilbert: Known for her artistic endeavors within the SCA.
Ron Bolt: A respected member who has enriched the SCA’s legacy.
Claire Kerwin: Her work has been influential in the Canadian art world.
Tibor Kovalik: An artist whose creativity resonates with many.
A. Meredith Barry: Contributed to the SCA’s growth and vibrancy.
Kazuo Hamasaki: His artistic journey has left an indelible mark.
Janet Newcome Basmadjian: An artist who embodies the spirit of the SCA.

Contributions to the Artistic Community

In nearly two decades as a professional full-time Canadian artist, 17 of those years self-representing, my contributions have been numerous and oftentimes undocumented I believe an important part of my responsibility as a professional Canadian Visual Artist is to be an educator. As artists in this Canadian Art community I believe our role is to educate every person we encounter about Art and the Arts in Canada.

Brandy Saturley in her Vancouver Island Studio, 2022

In 2018, Saturley was honoured to be juried into the 50th Annual International Exhibition and her painting, Balance, appeared on the catalogue cover for the exhibition, held at Papermill Gallery in Toronto.

May 21, 2024

Canadian Art Galleries Events

Art Dealers, Art Show

Enjoy The Art: Three Canadian Art Galleries & Current Events

This month we have three Canadian art galleries representing and showing original paintings of Brandy Saturley. From themes of Wildlife in Toronto with John B. Aird Gallery, to Beautiful Still Life in Oakville at Summer & Grace gallery to the Polar Bear King and landscapes of Alberta in Banff with our dedicated art dealer Willock & Sax, original works from this Victoria based artist are continuing to fascinate audiences across Canada. Here are three events with Canadian Art Galleries this spring.

Wildlife with John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto, Canada

The world’s population has tripled in roughly seventy years. In that period, people encroached on habitats that had previously only been occupied by WILDLIFE. Artworks by 70 artists, juried by Montreal-based gallerists André Laroche and Louis Joncas. Online juried slide exhibition with playlist and PDF catalogue.

Monarch of The Arctic Realms: 48×48, acrylic on canvas, 2023, Brandy Saturley

A Beautiful Life: Still Life Exhibition at Summer & Grace Gallery in Oakville, Canada

A collection of captivating still life artworks by Canadian Artists, each offering a unique perspective on the beauty found in the ordinary. From meticulously arranged fruit bowls to artfully painted floral arrangements, this exhibition showcases the timeless allure of the still life genre.

CHARITY: 36×36 acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley

At Willock & Sax Gallery in Banff, Canada

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

It is wonderful to have work on view with these three exceptional Canadian Art Galleries, two being in Ontario and my dedicated art dealer and representative in Banff, Alberta. Offering my clients the ability to view and purchase my work across Canada is an important part of expanding my reach as a Canadian Artist. From commercial art galleries to public art galleries, I am proud to show and sell my work through these phenomenal galleries.

In nearly two decades as a professional full-time Canadian artist, 17 of those years self-representing, my contributions have been numerous and oftentimes undocumented as I believe an important part of my responsibility as a professional Canadian Visual Artist is to be an educator. As artists in this Canadian Art community I believe our role is to educate every person we encounter about Art and the Arts in Canada. When I travel for my art career, I see myself as an ambassador of sorts for the Canadian Arts Community and Canada itself. It is a privilege to pursue a full-time professional career as a visual artist, and I do not take this opportunity or the importance of arts and culture lightly. Art is more than something beautiful to decorate your wall, so very much more, it is the fabric of humanity and a legacy that will live on long after we have exited this world.

May 16, 2024

Beautiful Still Life Exhibition

Art Opening, Art Show

A Beautiful Life: Still Life Exhibition Summer & Grace Gallery

Pleased to share I will be exhibiting work in the upcoming still life exhibition with Summer & Grace Gallery. After a North American call out, a unique opportunity to show my work alongside a talented group of North American painters in Oakville, Ontario. This exhibition, touted as the ‘artistry of everyday’ brings together artworks offering a unique perspective on the beauty found in the ordinary.

Tulip as Still Life – About the Painting

CHARITY – acrylic on canvas painting of Canada150 tulip, 36×36, Brandy Saturley

My expression of the Canada150 tulip. The most common meaning for tulips is perfect or deep love. Because tulips are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, they can mean rebirth. Victorians often associated tulips with charity, and the Dutch associate tulips with “Thanks” to Canadian soldiers that liberated The Netherlands in World War II.

With my painting of this iconic and graceful tulip I chose to depict it frozen in time, somehow preserving it for generations to come. With my signature pop art style rendering of a tulip against a backdrop of blue sky and ocean, I sought to capture the elegance and simplicity of the subject.

Beautiful Everyday: History of Still Life Painting in Canada

Still life painting, a genre dating back to antiquity, gained prominence in Western art during the Renaissance. Depicting inanimate objects such as fruit, flowers, and everyday items, still life compositions often symbolize themes of mortality, wealth, and the passage of time. In Canada, notable still life painters include Newfoundland’s Pratt family. Mary Pratt, celebrated for her hyper-realistic renderings of domestic scenes, and Christopher Pratt, known for his minimalist approach and use of light and shadow. Their works capture the essence of Canadian life and landscape while exploring the subtleties of color, form, and texture. These artists, among others, have contributed significantly to the rich tapestry of Canadian art, infusing the tradition of still life painting with a distinctively Canadian perspective.

Mary Pratt, Jelly Shelf, 1999. Oil on canvas, 55.9 x 71.1. cm. Collection of Equinox Gallery. Photo: Ned Pratt.

If you are in Oakville, Ontario you are invited to pop in and see the show.

Hosted at the enchanting Summer & Grace Gallery, nestled at 350 Lakeshore Road East, this event promises to be an evening of unparalleled beauty and inspiration.

Date: Thursday, May 30th, 4-8 PM
Location: Summer & Grace Gallery, 350 Lakeshore Road East

Show runs May 30th to July 14, 2024

More on the Summer & Grace Gallery website.

See more tulip still life paintings by Brandy Saturley

April 29, 2024

Artist On The Road

Art Business, Artist Residency, Georgia O'Keeffe

In The Steps of O’Keeffe – Artist on The Road to Santa Fe

If you have been reading this blog and following my work you know my obsession with Georgia O’Keeffe. It began in youth, intensified when I saw a retrospective of her works at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It then deepened with seeing her work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Now, after many years and more paintings, I am on my way to Santa Fe, do you know the way? Beginning in Victoria, Canada and ending in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we are headed out on the next journey. This trip will take us to the heart of the southwest art world, and one of the largest art markets in the USA, after New York City and Los Angeles. I’m an artist on the road, once again.

Cow’s Skull: Red, White & Blue – Georgia O’Keeffe, 1931

Over the years I have painted homage works to many of the greats, beginning with Goalie’s Mask; red, white and Dryden. Known as the ‘Goalie’s Mask Painting’, it is a composition and comment inspired by a famous work by O’Keeffe. When I first saw, Cow’s Skull: Red, White and Blue at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, I was surprised at how small it is, as with many famous works, grand in their infamy yet not in their size. Painted in 1931, this beautiful oil painting is visceral and moving, especially when you are close enough to see the scratches of the artists’ brush.

Goalie’s Mask: Red, White & Dryden, Brandy Saturley, 2011

Tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, O’Keeffe sought solace in the tranquil landscapes of Lake George, New York, and later, New Mexico. It was during her initial visit to the Southwest in 1929 that her artistic focus shifted from urban architecture to the natural wonders of New Mexico. In this particular piece, O’Keeffe captures the essence of a single skull, accentuating its rugged contours, weathered textures, and pale hue. To her, these bones symbolized the enduring allure of the desert and the resilience of the American ethos, hinted at by the striped backdrop. In 1949, O’Keeffe made New Mexico her permanent home, where she resided until her passing in 1986.

Georgia O’Keeffe, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, 1968 – Arnold Newman

Georgia O’Keeffe in Maui – Artist on The Road

While Santa Fe is the homeland and final resting place, Maui was another favourite place the artist painted. I discovered a book written by Maria Ausherman from interviews with Patricia Jennings, about world famous painter, and one of my favorites, Georgia O’Keeffe. The book, Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawaii , focuses on three month’s in 1939 when O’Keeffe visited Hawaii including Maui, as guest of the Dole Pineapple company as they had commissioned her to paint an image for their advertising campaign. I retraced the steps of O’Keeffe and also came home with sketches and photos that would become a painting, a visual story, of my time soaking up Maui.

IAO, acrylic on canvas painting, 2018, Brandy Saturley

Connections with Lawren Harris

After this trip I began to dream about and see connections between the work of O’Keeffe and Canada’s luminary of the landscapes, Lawren Harris. While I have yet to find evidence of their world’s connecting, they certainly knew of one another. I found a paper online by Sara Angel, that explored the possibility of a connection between the two modernist painters. In the spring of 1938 Harris drove more than 3000km to relocate to Santa Fe, which is not surprising as the area is celebrated for it’s stunning landscapes.

Natural Affinities – O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams

This exhibition and the companion text, examine the connections and friendship between the iconic painter and landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Produced by The Smithsonian, Natural Affinities examines the friendship of two artists who were attracted to the distinct landscape of the American southwest and were committed to depicting its essence with modernist sensibilities.

San Francisco de Assisi , Santa Fe, Ghost Ranch New Mexico, Georgia O’Keeffe – Ansel Adams

It’s Good to Have Goals

Places I would like to live other than Vancouver Island – Maui, Santa Fe, Maui. I saw this pop up in my memories the other day, thank you Facebook, a reminder that I am on the path that I speak out loud, or at least to Facebook. While I have made my life and career as an artist on Vancouver Island as my home base, it has never stopped me from travelling for my art career. Now nearly twenty years in, I am looking at mid-career and where I would most like to see myself living and painting for the next twenty. Ideally the goal has always been split between Maui and Vancouver Island, but I have longed to spend time in the high desert of Santa Fe and on some level deep down, I know I will feel at home in this Southwestern landscape filled with vivid Indigenous cultures and colours.

Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II, 1930 – Georgia O’Keeffe

The Time Has Come – Artist on The Road

After years of absorbing the wonderous world of O’Keeffe. Her passionate relationship with Alfred Stieglitz and her vibrating artworks, I am now only a week away from hitting the road to Santa Fe. Beginning in Victoria, BC with stops in Oregon and Moab Utah (serious photography and hiking time) I will arrive in Santa Fe in time for a few margaritas and a whole lot of art to see and create. There will definitely be some museums and a few other surprises.

On a side road somewhere in the Canadian prairies of Manitoba. Summer 2020 – self-photography Brandy Saturley

The next journey begins in May. Follow along with me on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

April 25, 2024

A Trinity in Newfoundland

Artist Process, New Paintings

Painting 15 in A Series about Newfoundland

We were up exploring around Cape Bonavista lighthouse, and by up I mean, above the Avalon Peninsula, where I was based out of during my month in Newfoundland. A three hour and forty minute drive each way, from Pouch Cove Foundation. On our way to the iconic lighthouse and town, I received a text from a friend. Make sure on your return trip you have lunch in Trinity, it’s a quaint little town that really has an old colonial Newfoundland feel. And this is where painting 15, in this series about Newfoundland began, on a lunch stop in a town called Trinity.

Looking down on Trinity, Newfoundland – October 2023, Brandy Saturley

Trinity, nestled along the picturesque Trinity Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador, boasts a rich historical background. Its quaint streets are adorned with a collection of architectural gems, each designated as a Registered Heritage Structure by the esteemed Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town’s harbor, a hub of maritime activity since the 16th century, witnessed the arrival of Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real on Trinity Sunday of 1501, bestowing upon the site its enduring name. By the 1570s, Trinity had already established itself as a vital summer outpost for fishermen from England’s West Country, drawn by the abundant riches of the migratory fishery. Beyond its maritime legacy, Trinity holds a place in medical history, serving as the pioneering ground for the introduction of the smallpox vaccine to the New World by John Clinch in 1798.

Unique architecture in Trinity, Newfoundland – October 2023, Brandy Saturley

When we arrived at Trinity it was a ghost town, being Autumn in Newfoundland many places are closing up for the Winter. The restaurant situation is hit and miss this time of year, with no regular hours really being kept in any place we have explored. Immediately I was drawn to the multitude of colourful buildings all situated on a quiet cove. A sparse landscape dotted with colour, the idyllic Newfoundland setting.

A ‘trinity’ of colourful homes in Newfoundland – October 2023, Brandy Saturley

As I was clicking through photos from my trip, I kept returning to the photo above of a ‘trifecta’ of buildings adorned in Easter hues. If I was only going to paint one visual story about this place, this grouping expresses the town in one photo. From the trio of buildings, a ‘trinity’ of it’s own to the unique heritage structures, to the English influence. It is all felt and said in this photo, with the rock and the grass, all I felt that was needed to complete this story was a woman searching for meaning in this historic little town.

Sketching out the underpainting on black gesso ground – Brandy Saturley 2024

For this painting I began with a black gesso ground, something I haven’t done before, and I NEVER use black. Black is something you must be careful with as it can become too graphic and too comic book, I have always veered away from it. I found that with this piece it offered a different way to tackle the plank siding. Rather than being heavy outlines it offers ‘peeks’ into darkness and ultimately was successful in this painting. It gives the painting a sketchbook feel, and I like this for telling the story of this piece. It felt like I was painting on a chalkboard!

Working the angles, a painting in progress. – Brandy Saturley 2024

A poem for the finished painting about Trinity, Newfoundland

Let her wander, fearless, beneath Newfoundland’s vast sky,
In her red toque and yellow slicker, love’s quest does not belie.
For amidst Trinity’s hues, where tales of old abide,
Her love may yet be waiting, in the ebb and flow of tides.

Trinity, 20×20 inches, acrylic and gouache on wood panel, 2024 Brandy Saturley

Learn more about this painting and see additional photo’s here. See all the Newfoundland Paintings here.

April 24, 2024

High on Canada Drive

Artist Process, New Paintings

High on Canada Drive – A Painting About Icebergs in Newfoundland

When I am working as an artist abroad, and on the road, I don’t drive. This leaves me with the opportunity to soak it all up and take notice of things around me, looking for the next opportunity to ditch the car and jump out for a few moments to capture something that catches my eye. I spend a great deal of time as the passenger, on the roads of this continuing journey of Art.

I have always been interested by this perspective, looking through a windshield that sometimes reflects the sunlight, takes on bug splatter, and various elements of weather as we drive across Canada. The photos and video I capture on these trips offering views from the rear view and sometimes a wiper gets caught in the frame. Even when I am captive in a long line of city traffic, there is something to shoot, even if it’s my Nikon on my lap, captured by my iPhone. I am always getting high on the energy of this drive across Canada.

Driving to Tors Cove, Newfoundland – October 2023

With my latest figurative landscape painting, I chose to focus on this perspective from the passenger seat. I found this photo on my iPhone that I took while stopped at an intersection in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. Naturally, being the Canadiana enthusiast I am, I had to take this photo of a sign called Canada Drive. As we waited what seemed like eternity at this intersection, my mind began to drift on the subject of Canada Drive, and then I heard a song come over the Sirius satellite radio.

“Lounging in the living room in long johns
More distant than Victoria to Saint John’s
Trying to use a record to repair my heart
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to start again, my friend

You’re leaving me high and Canada dry
I’m out of your head and I’m losing my mind
Listening to Neil is making me cry
You’re leaving me high and Canada dry.”

Canada Dry is a song by the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Barenaked Ladies, from the album, Fake Nudes. I’ve long been a fan of the Ladies, since their very first album, through their break up and re-launch into the world, when I felt like they were leaving us high and Canada Dry.

Brandy Saturley studio – April 2024

Coming home to Victoria, sitting in my studio with feet up and a few finished paintings about Newfoundland, I stared at a new wood panel ready to take on a story through use of acrylic and oil paints. It was April and my friends in Twillingate were hailing the arrival of iceberg season. With my Apple playlist set to the best of the Barenaked Ladies, these lyrics began to penetrate my mind and my eyes began to see the next painting. I saw beautiful glacial teal coloured bergs, against a complimentary orange/red sunset sky, with this street sign of Canada Drive. Rather than paint the entire traffic light I chose to focus on the red light, against this intersection with the icebergs towering high above the sign. While you would never likely see icebergs from this Newfoundland locale, it does offer pause about the climate and the Earth.

Detail view, High on Canada Drive, acrylic and oil on wood panel, 2024 Brandy Saturley

When the painting was finished and I was searching for the title, I was going to go with Canada Drive, for obvious reasons. But that just wasn’t right to me, and instead as I listened to ‘Canada Dry’ over and over I found the title. High on Canada Drive, referencing the height of the icebergs towering over the city, and also if you were to see icebergs from this vantage point, you may be high on life, a dream or some mind altering substance. Or perhaps you’re just an Artist making sense of the world.

High on Canada Drive, Oil and Acrylic on Wood Panel, 12 x 36 x 2 in, 2024, Brandy Saturley

More details and high resolution photos of the painting here.

April 22, 2024

My Essential Studio Tools

Art Business, Artist Studio Tools

Items For Painters – My Essential Studio Tools

For many years I have shared my artist process and inside my studio on Instagram. While it has been a great tool for connecting with collectors, it has also been an opportunity to connect with fellow Artists of all stages. I get asked all the time about my custom made easels and my lighting equipment. Oftentimes there are questions about the brushes I use, the paints I prefer and even the cameras I utilize to capture my process. Instagram is a tough place to offer an in depth account of my studio tools, particularly when I am good at writing and love to share with people outside the Instaverse. So, after nearly two decades making art daily, here are the keys to my studio and a list of my essential tools and where you can pick them up online.

Brandy Saturley Studio, Vancouver Island, Canada, 2024

Wall Easels: these were custom built by my partner and me after we began looking online for options. At the time my studio was in the living room of our condo, and while I have great easel, the wall easels offered the opportunity to work on more than one painting at a time, while not taking up space. I found Paper Bird Studios online, they make handcrafted wall mounted easels, but they are pricey and shipping to Canada from Virginia. So we took Jason Tueller’s design and used it to make our own right here in Victoria, Canada. We used walnut and ended up making three wall easels. Since moving to my new home, and setting up a dedicated studio space, I dropped it down to two walls easels and kept my free standing crank easel.

Brandy Saturley Studio – Victoria BC Canada, 2024

Free-Standing Easel: I bought the BEST Classic Santa Fe II crank studio easel when I was in my condo, it’s a great sturdy studio easel and will easily take up to a 72″ canvas and still offer stability.

Studio Lighting: I like to control my lighting in the studio, I largely close up my windows to the outside and use four adjustable freestanding LED photography lights from GODOX. These lights offer the ability to control colour temperature, lumens power and angle of lighting. I can also control them by remote, but don’t often use the remotes as I find it just as easy to manually change the settings. The GODOX LED’s are meant for a photography studio, which is perfect for studio photography and video outside the ability to light for painting. I use the Godox LEDP260C Ultra-Thin 30W Dimmable LED Video Light Panel Lamp 3200K-5600K. I added the universal tripod stands by Amazon basics.

Brandy Saturley Studio – North Saanich, Canada, 2023

Ring Light: for video where I am speaking to the camera, recording painting process videos, and for Zoom, I use the 18 inch LED Neewer ring light with changeable filters from cool to warm light. It’s dimmable and comes with a tripod mount for iPhone. It makes everyone look great and comes with a useful camera remote.

Studio Supplies Cart: I love my cart, I keep some paints and mediums, as well as my brushes in this handy cart that I can move freely in the studio. It’s also a great place to put tapes, scissors, rulers and whatever else I might need to grab at a moments notice. I bought my sturdy steel 3 shelf cart through ULINE.

Go to Local Art Supplier: I have been loyal to my local supplier for years, Opus Art Supplies, they offer pro-discounts if you are buying over $1000 of supplies per year. I buy Golden Fluid acrylics, Golden OPEN, Liquitex acrylic gouache, Golden mediums and varnishes, Holbein Duo Aqua Water Mixable Oils, my canvas and panels through this awesome local business.

Golden Fluid Acrylic Paints and Mediums

Go to Local Acrylic Paint Supplier: there is a well known paint maker on Granville Island in Vancouver called KROMA, they offer top notch acrylic paints at reasonable prices and even supply paint to the Vancouver Film industry. Launched in 1970, KROMA has now been a part of the Vancouver art community, providing paint to painters for 50 years. Their success is based on the word of mouth recommendations of regular customers. While their business has slowly grown they still make each colour with considerable care, by hand, in small batches.

Brandy Saturley in studio with Kroma paints, Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity.

Paintbrushes: after my time in London, England at the Royal College of Art I came to discover Rosemary’s Brushes – from the Rosemary & Co. brush company. The finest handmade brushes on the planet and quite affordable as well. Shipping directly to my front door via Royal Mail service. I have come to develop a bit of an addiction to these great brushes. I am particularly in love with their SMOOSHING brushes, great for feathering and blending hard edges. If you purchase brushes please enter my affiliate coupon code BRANDYSATURLEY24 at checkout. Referral email for setting up a new account art@brandysaturley.com .

Using a Rosemary & Co. mini smooshing brush for tiny details.

Don’t forget the good old dollar store (Poundland in the UK) and building supply stores, they offer many great tools for artists at reasonable rates. I also love walking the back aisles at our local Princess Auto, it’s amazing what you can find that can help you in the studio. From paintbrushes to foam brushes, rollers for finishing and painters tape.

My Essential Art Supplies – studio table at Pouch Cove Foundation, Newfoundland, 2023

Remember, I have been building my studio for nearly twenty years and three moves, so as your art career grows, your studio will grow with you and these pieces are things you invest in both daily and over time. There is no sense going out and buying the best of everything right from the start, what you need grows out of where you are heading with your art career. Next post I will cover camera supplies, printers and archiving software.

Happy art making everyone!

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

April 18, 2024

Art Deco in Canada

Artist Process, New Paintings

A Painting About Newfoundland – Celebrating Art Deco in Canada

When I set out to explore and photograph St. John’s Newfoundland, I expected to find the vividly painted character homes on the iconic Jelly Bean Row and the Battery of the harbour. What I did not expect was to fall for a building that would transport me back to my days as a teenager when I would watch sockless Don Johnson in his white linen suits, on Miami Vice. As soon as I walked up to the side door of South Beach Residences, I could hear the sounds of Jan Hammer and feel the warmth and swaying palms of Miami, and then the cold Newfoundland wind knocked me back to reality. Art Deco in Canada is very much alive, and not just in Newfoundland.

South Beach Residences, side door – St. John’s Newfoundland 2023 – Brandy Saturley

What exactly is Art Deco? The Canadian Art Deco Society describes it as a 20^th century phenomenon that emerged during the period between the First and Second World Wars. It was a new style for a new modern era. Combining the affluence of materials with the artistic simplicity of specific design, the Art Deco style often focused on geometric forms composed primarily of angular elements, like highly stylized chevrons and zig-zags. Other characteristics of Art Deco include: sunbursts, sweeping curves, ziggurats (staggered or tiered pyramid shapes), a liberal use of sleek-looking material, as well as Egyptian influences and motifs focusing on birds and floral patterns. Recognized as a popular, non-revolutionary modernism, Art Deco was a self-conscious split from the past.

South Beach Residences, Newfoundland, Canada – Brandy Saturley 2023

When I was in Toronto delivering my goalie’s mask painting to the Canadian Olympic Committee Art of Sport event, I found myself at the old Maple Leaf Gardens building , which is now a Loblaws, amongst other things. Few may realize that one of Canada’s most celebrated sporting venues, Maple Leaf Gardens National Historic Site of Canada (below), is an example of Art Deco architecture. This Toronto landmark exhibits the style through its symmetrical yellow brick façade and dome with crowning lantern. Other prominent characteristics of Art Deco within the Gardens include its simple brickwork pattern, and use of metal along the building’s patterned window arrangement. Many of the original fittings, fixtures, fabric and design components relate to the Toronto Maple Leafs and survive to this day, contributing to the heritage value of the building which is now a rehabilitated building, housing a local grocery store and upper floor arena.

Maple Leaf Gardens – Brandy Saturley 2013

Painting South Beach Residences – Art Deco in Canada

As my work continues on this new series about my time exploring Newfoundland in late 2023, I am flipping back through moments, photographs and things that made an undeniable impression on my psyche. These things that draw my attention are the things that become part of my visual storytelling in their own way and in a time that means something to my work. When I found this photo I had taken and decided that this would be the subject matter for the next painting, I then began to delve deep into the history of this building holding my attention.

Brandy Saturley in studio, Victoria, Canada – 2024

Built Before Newfoundland Became Part of Canada
In the optimism which followed the end of WWII, local architect William J. Ryan designed and built the first Art Deco building in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland. Completed in 1947, with a building envelope constructed with concrete, mixed and poured by hand, its distinctive and creative form stood in strong contrast to the local architectural vernacular. Over the years, South Beach became home to architects, a radio station, a bookstore, and an art gallery. Which brings us to today, and the six years it’s taken to restore and transform this exceptionally well engineered building into the modern Residences of South Beach.

It’s been a labour of love. Today, the iconic Art Deco landmark is known and loved far and wide. Pedestrians stop for selfies. Filmmakers and artists celebrate its design and colour palette. Morawetz included it in his ‘Art Deco Architecture Across Canada, by Tim Morawetz’. A captivating book showcasing more than 150 Canadian Art Deco buildings.

The Finished Painting – A Little Miami in Canada

A pop modernism style painting about an art Deco masterpiece. Painting visual stories of my travels across Canada.

I’ll Meet You in South Beach, Newfoundland – original acrylic painting on wood panel, 2024, Brandy Saturley

See more photos of the painting here.

Sources Consulted

Canadian Art Deco Society http://www.canadianartDecosociety.org/about.html
Canada’s Historic Places HistoricPlaces.ca – From the Supreme Court to “Puckingham Palace”: Art Deco in Canadian Culture
South Beach Residences South Beach Residences – St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

April 8, 2024