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Painting of Ukrainian Dancers

The Art of Shumka – A Portrait Painting about Ukrainian Dancers

An Edmonton, Alberta collector of my paintings with Ukrainian Canadian roots sends me photos from time to time. Most recently she has been sending me joyful photos of her daughters’ Ukrainian dance group. The group is known as’ ‘Ukrainian Shumka Dancers’ and are the most widely known Ukrainian dance performers in Canada. This is where the story of my most recent painting, a portrait of Ukrainian dancers, begins.

Ukrainian Shumka dance is a traditional Ukrainian folk dance that has been passed down through generations of Ukrainians. The dance is performed by both men and women, and is characterized by its lively and energetic movements, intricate footwork, and colorful costumes. Shumka dance has a rich history that dates back hundreds of years. It was originally performed as a way to celebrate important events in Ukrainian culture, such as weddings, harvest festivals, and religious holidays. Over time, the dance evolved and became more stylized, with various regional variations emerging throughout Ukraine.

Today, shumka dance is still performed at cultural events, festivals, and competitions throughout Ukraine and around the world. It has become an important symbol of Ukrainian identity and heritage, and is cherished by Ukrainians both at home and abroad. One of the defining characteristics of shumka dance is its complex footwork. Dancers wear special shoes with wooden or leather soles that allow them to produce a variety of percussive sounds as they move across the dance floor. The footwork is often fast and intricate, and requires a great deal of skill and practice to master.

In addition to the footwork, shumka dance is also known for its expressive arm and hand movements. Dancers often use their arms and hands to convey emotions and tell stories through their movements, adding an extra layer of meaning and depth to the dance. Finally, the costumes worn by shumka dancers are another important aspect of the dance. Traditional costumes feature bright colors and intricate embroidery, and are often decorated with beads, sequins, and other embellishments. These costumes help to enhance the visual impact of the dance, and also serve as a reminder of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage.

What I decide to paint in any given time is all about my intuition. Things that are vibrating and drawing my attention, touching something within me, I am a human lighting rod. What influences the work are things seen, heard, touched and tasted. Things that pull at my heart and cause my chest to pound. Perhaps the war in Ukraine and the constant news, but also the voices of my Ukrainian mother and grandmother whispering in my ear. The texts from an art collector who radiates sunshine into the world, who proudly shares photos taken at Shumka Dance performances in Edmonton. The YouTube videos of the dancers and the upbeat polka music. The colours of the costumes and smiling faces, they radiate the essence of Ukrainian culture ad hospitality. All of these things move me, and then I receive one photo that stops me in my tracks with the note, “they came from Ukraine three weeks ago, they just keep going in Ukraine.” The photo (shown below) was radiating beauty, innocence and joy, and the colours and patterns of their cultural costumes seemed to be creating abstract landscapes of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Shumka Dancers in Edmonton, Alberta Canada – photo courtesy Crytes family.

Painting of Ukrainian Dancers

I was particularly taken with the face of the boy in the front center of the group and what his face is communicating. I chose to make him the focal point of my final painting. I used fluorescent gouache for underpainting and finishing details, the paint sets the canvas aglow. Below is a photo of the resulting portrait painting.

Spirit of Ukraine, 36×36, acrylic on canvas, 2023 – Brandy Saturley

Ukraine Strong, 40×30, acrylic on canvas, 2022 – Brandy Saturley

In my paintings of recent I am exploring the relationships between my Ukrainian family, history and influences and my modern-day artist self.

At this time in my life my parents are aging fast, and things are changing daily. My mother who was my earliest mentor in art and life, is now requiring our care. I am feeling the need to take time and connect more deeply to my cultural roots, which includes Ukrainian. My Ukrainian grandmother and grandfather immigrated to Edmonton from the Ukraine and created a restaurant business in Edmonton in the 1940’s. As I begin inheriting pieces from my Ukrainian great-grandmother and grandmother, I am discovering my Ukrainian heritage, woven with arts, crafts, symbols, and stories. I am also affected by war in Ukraine and moved by the stories of the people and the immigrants to Canada. As my career and work as a Canadian Artist continues to ascend, the depth of my work grows with renewed excitement and explorations of my Ukrainian Canadian heritage. In my paintings of recent I am exploring the relationships between my Ukrainian family, history and influences and my modern-day artist self.

Paintings about Ukrainian heritage and culture – Canadian artist Brandy Saturley studio

You can watch the behind the scenes process of making the painting on YouTube here:

In conclusion, Ukrainian shumka dance is a vibrant and energetic folk dance that has played an important role in Ukrainian culture for hundreds of years. Its complex footwork, expressive arm movements, and colorful costumes have helped to make it a beloved symbol of Ukrainian identity and heritage, both at home and abroad. I am looking forward to continuing the exploration of my Ukrainian heritage in my paintings.

Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley with her painting about Ukrainian Shumka dancers, 2023

May 1, 2023

Aurora Stories Virtual Exhibition

Art Show

Virtual Art Exhibition – Aurora Stories by Brandy Saturley

Aurora Stories is now open, this virtual art exhibition is accessible worldwide and runs 24 hours daily until May 12, 2023. Featuring over 25 paintings from the artist’s oeuvre created over the past 17 years, that reference the Aurora Borealis.

Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural phenomenon that has captivated human beings for centuries. This stunning light show is caused by the interaction between the Earth’s magnetic field and solar winds, resulting in shimmering curtains of green, pink, purple, and blue light in the night sky. The Aurora Borealis holds immense cultural significance for many indigenous communities around the world, including the Sami people of Scandinavia, the Inuit of Canada, and the Yupik of Alaska. For these cultures, the Northern Lights are considered a spiritual and mystical experience, representing the presence of ancestors and spirits.

Ahead of Their Time – original acrylic on canvas painting about shape-shifting under the Aurora Borealis.

The aurora is rich with spiritual traditions, with most involving the spirits of the departed. The Canadian Inuit believe that souls of the dead dance in the aurora. Sometimes the spirits are carrying torches to guide those still in this world. The Inuit call the aurora ‘aksarnirq’.

Over the last 17 years of traveling Canada and making art influenced by these travels, I have found myself exploring stories of the mystical Aurora in my paintings many times. These are otherworldly, spiritual, and symbolic paintings executed with a ‘collage-like’ style of placing objects and figures in settings where they exist in the same landscape. These visual stories incorporate northern animals such polar bear and elk, and scenes of humans playing hockey under the dancing colours and light. In one painting your see a portrait that features a metamorphosis and shape-shifting between women, in others you see humans enjoying celebrations of this magical event. These paintings offer surreal stories that are magical and transcendent.

Aurora Stories – virtual art exhibition featuring paintings inspired by the Aurora Borealis

This is my first virtual exhibition for 2023, something I began experimenting with well before the pandemic and something that served my art practice well during the pandemic as it allows people all over the world the opportunity to enjoy an art exhibition, from wherever they live, all that is required is an Internet connection.

You are invited to view ‘Aurora Stories’ now.

Aurora Stories – install view of virtual art exhibition

See more paintings by Brandy Saturley.

Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley working on a painting about our relationship with polar bears, in her Vancouver Island studio.

BIO: Brandy Saturley is an acclaimed Canadian contemporary painter and multidisciplinary visual artist known for her striking and colorful depictions of Canadian landscapes, cultural icons, peoples, wildlife, and sports figures. An internationally exhibited Canadian Artist, Brandy Saturley’s paintings have garnered the Victoria, BC born painter notoriety as ‘the Voice of Canadian Pop Art’.

Dochka Rising: original painting by Contemporary Canadian Painter, Brandy Saturley

Learn more about this Canadian Artist here.

April 25, 2023

Painting with Lawren Harris

Art Career, Artist Process

Painting with Lawren Harris – putting myself in the forefront

Lawren Harris is considered one of Canada’s most prominent painters of the 20th century, known for his distinctive style that captures the essence of the Canadian landscape. I am a contemporary Canadian painter, and one of the many artists who have been inspired by Harris’s work. I have created a number of paintings, that pay homage to Harris’s artistic legacy and also make a statement about putting Canadian women artists in the forefront. These pieces are about representation, inclusion and achievement in the Canadian Art world. I am painting with Lawren Harris.

I want to talk about four paintings I have created that reference Harris’s ‘Baffin Island (1931), ‘North Shore, Lake Superior’ (1926), ‘Mountain Forms (1926) and ‘Sun and Earth’ (1945), respectively. In these works, Harris depicted the rugged and majestic Canadian landscape in a stylized, almost abstract way. Using bold colors and geometric shapes to create a sense of the landscape’s essence. My paintings similarly capture the essence of the Canadian landscape, but with their own unique style and perspective.

My use of bright, bold colors and geometric shapes is reminiscent of Harris’s style. I also add my own personal touch by including myself in the forefront of the painting, along with other elements and symbols that represent contemporary Canadian culture. I have spoken about the influence of Harris on my work, his paintings have inspired me to explore and depict the Canadian landscape in my own way. I have also spoken about the importance of paying homage to Harris and other Canadian artists who have paved the way for contemporary painters in Canada.

I have taken inspiration from Harris’s distinctive style and used it to create my own unique vision of the Canadian landscape and culture, while also paying homage to Harris’s legacy. Through my work, I am adding to the rich and diverse tapestry of Canadian art, continuing the tradition of artistic exploration and innovation that Harris helped to establish.

Here I will discuss these four paintings by Lawren Harris, and how they influenced my comment on the current culture and conversations in Canada.

Let Your Backbone Rise, 2016 – Brandy Saturley

This was the first painting where I used a painting by Lawren Harris as reference for the background of the painting. The background shows a segment of the painting, Baffin Island, painted by Harris in 1931. My career at this time was rising as I had just booked two public gallery solo exhibitions in the province of Alberta, the shows were retrospective shows of my paintings about Canadian culture and landscapes over a period of five years. I have painted myself into the painting wearing my red military style coat and wearing my the white gloves usually associated with handling artwork. My hair gathered into a formal french twist, facing the landscape boldly with arms raised. Running down the outside of the back of my coat a backbone is visible with vertebrae running outside the coat and over the spinal area of my back. I am definitely making a statement about the time in Canada, and my time as a rising woman on the Canadian art scene.

Baffin Island, 1931 – Lawren Harris

“I paint myself into these paintings because I suppose I am looking for myself in the world.”

With Hearts on Our Sleeves, 2017 – Brandy Saturley

The second painting I created with a Lawren Harris reference features a self portrait facing the viewer. The background of the piece features an abstract snippet from the Harris painting, ‘North Shore, Lake Superior’ from 1926. In this painting the ‘God’s rays’ of light through the clouds put the focus on the figure in the foreground. The year is 2017 and I made this painting while my public gallery retrospectives were moving from a gallery in Edmonton to a gallery in Calgary. In the self-portrait I am wearing a Hudson’s Bay toque and a plaid shirt (the symbol of the blue collar Canadian worker) The shirt features a heart sewn on the sleeve, with sleeves unrolled and folded backwards I am making a fist. Here I am channeling ‘Rosie the Riveter’ in my pose and gaze, though I am holding my fist tightly with head tilted down like a prize fighter.

North Shore Lake Superior, 1926 – Lawren Harris

“What Harris did in painting this mountain and it subsequently selling for millions is make it possible for someone to acquire and carry this landscape wherever they roam.”

A Landscape To Go, 2017 – Brandy Saturley

The third painting with Lawren Harris is a little different. Rather than placing myself in the foreground and Harris in the background, I have placed myself in the background and I have extracated the most famous Harris landscape in the foreground. ‘Mountain Forms’ painted in 1926 became the most expensive Canadian artwork ever to sell at auction in 2016 for a whopping $11.21 million. Mountain Forms, is a renowned painting of Alberta’s Mount Ishbel in the Sawback Range of the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park. In the painting I am holding the painting in cupped hands as I examine it closely, again dressed in my military style red coat. The lake below the mountain runs off my hand. I am examining the landscape, holding it in my hands. When you are in the Rocky Mountains of Canada you are dwarfed by the gargantuan size of these mountains. What Harris did in painting this mountain and it subsequently selling for millions is make it possible for someone to acquire and carry this landscape wherever they roam. I was also thinking about how many hands this painting has moved from during it’s time on Earth. An examination of the Canadian art market, and injecting myself into the conversation.

Mountain Forms, 1926 – Lawren Harris

“As I begin inheriting pieces from my Ukrainian grandmother I am finding that I too have culture, woven with arts, crafts, symbols and stories.”

Dochka Rising, 2023 – Brandy Saturley

With this fourth and most recent painting the Lawren Harris painting and period I chose to reference is from his abstract period. ‘Sun and Earth’ painted in 1945 features simplified forms of sunrise and mountains. Again I have put myself in the foreground, only this time I am looking up casting my gaze upwards. My face is dressed in shadows casting stripes across my face and hair. On the lower portion of hair you see symbols and pattern from weaving my Ukrainian grandmother made, passed down to me by my mother. At this time in my life my parents are aging fast and things are changing daily. My mother who was my earliest mentor in art and life, is now requiring our care. I am feeling the need to take time and connect more deeply to my cultural roots, which includes Ukrainian, British and Canadian. Growing up in Sooke on Vancouver Island I spent time with Indigenous friends and family members. I always felt that those with Indigenous heritage were lucky, they seemed to have a real connection to their culture and cultural stories, that I did not feel to my cultural heritage. Growing up in Canada I felt like I had no culture, and now as an adult I realize I do, and this realization has come from watching and learning from our Indigenous cousins. As I begin inheriting pieces from my Ukrainian grandmother I am finding that I too have culture, woven with arts, crafts, symbols and stories. I am also affected by war in Ukraine and moved by the stories of the people and the immigrants to Canada. As my career and work as a Canadian Artist continues to ascend, the depth of my work grows with renewed excitement and explorations across Canada.

Sun and Earth, 1945 – Lawren Harris

“in a way I feel like I am having a conversation with Harris even though he passed before I was born.”

Lawren S. Harris Self-Portrait, 1932

Lawren Harris and Brandy Saturley are contemporaries painting in different times, in a way I feel like I am having a conversation with Harris even though he passed before I was born. Harris is known for his landscapes that showcase his love for the Canadian wilderness, while my paintings are more focused on the exploration of identity and culture. While we both use painting as a means of expression, our works are vastly different in terms of style, theme, and technique.

Harris’ works are characterized by sharp, clean lines, bold colors, and a geometric approach to composition. His paintings are heavily influenced by his interest in theosophy, a spiritual movement that sought to find universal truth through intuition and mysticism. His work is often described as “spiritual,” with the landscapes he painted appearing otherworldly, with a sense of transcendence.

On the other hand, my paintings are more fluid and organic, with a focus on the human form and its relationship to culture and identity. My work is often marked by vivid colors and layered brushwork, giving my paintings a dynamic and almost tactile quality. I often explore themes of gender, ethnicity, and national identity, with a focus on the social and cultural dynamics that shape our understanding of ourselves and others.

While both artists are celebrated for their distinct styles and contributions to Canadian art, their work represents very different approaches to the medium of painting. Harris’ landscapes are an exploration of the natural world, while my paintings are a celebration of colour, human culture and diversity. However, despite their differences, I believe both of us share a deep love of our country and its people, and our work continues to inspire and engage audiences around the world.

March 31, 2023

Modern Autodidact I AM

Advice for Artists, Art Career

Becoming a professional Artist – A Modern Autodidact I AM

Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley in studio 2022.

There have been a few stories made about how I became the professional Artist I am today. A modern autodidact I am, self-taught in most areas of Art and the business of representing myself as an independent Canadian artist. My learning has always been hands on, through doing a bit of the thing I wanted to learn about, something that would help me evolve as an Artist and realize a professional level career in the Arts. Along the way I have signed on for short programs in educational Art institutions, but I have no BFA or MFA or PhD, and it has not stopped me from succeeding as an Artist on all levels. From public and commercial galleries to selling my work online through my website. Creating public art, licensing my artwork and custom art commissions. From presenting artist talks, art fairs, and writing articles and interviewing other artists, to developing my own website and network of associates and suppliers. Producing art publications and process videos, to making art on location in self-directed and awarded residencies. I am a professional Canadian artist creating in ALL realms of the Art business in Canada and beyond.

Brandy Saturley and mother in Sooke News Mirror 1972

When did you become an Artist?

The question I get most often from young artists and future collectors is, when did I become an Artist? To really answer this question I have to go back to childhood and growing up with an artist mother, who was influenced by her artist mother. Who we are early on has much to do with who and what we grow up around, and my mom was always making things with me, mostly drawing painting, and crafting. I knew what I liked most at an early age and that was creating my own world from a solitary space. I enjoyed magazines, music, films, the outdoors and making art in the midst of all these influences. I learned from glossy advertising in Vogue magazine, and listened to the Beatles, Billie Holiday, Herb Alpert and the hard rock of AC/DC. I read the European Newspaper and wrote to pen pals in London, England. I grew up in a very small town on a large island, on the western-most tip of Canada. I had a hunger for information about the places, people and cities of the world.

In my senior years of high school I connected intensely with two influential educators, one was my History teacher and one my Art teacher. They both encouraged and influenced my path of the coming years. I knew I wanted to pursue an art career somehow, but found it hard committing to a formal education, largely because I did not have the means. Instead I took shorter courses in Visual Arts and filmmaking giving me a few years of educational appetizers in these areas. Art History, 2D, 3D, pottery, graphic design and filmmaking (from camera to scriptwriting) Three years of education offering a sampling and just enough experience in these areas. During film school I attended a talk by the Oscar winning Director of Photography for Close Encounters of The Third Kind, Vilmos Szigmond. I was captivated by his talk and found myself finishing the program and working in the Victoria and Vancouver film industry for a short couple years.

I left film as a career behind, though to this day I consume cinema just as voraciously as I did when I was younger. I made the decision that painting and photography were the things for me. I continued making Art part-time, as I worked full-time jobs in businesses that would teach me skills that could be useful down the line. During this time I moved from job to job as I learned new skills, each time working my way up until I had nowhere to go (in my mind) but move on to a new job. I worked in real estate sales, interior design retail (tile and natural stone) publishing (advertising coordinator + proofreader) and then I found myself wanting to learn more about computers, during the dot-com boom.

A Modern Autodidact I AM

As I was working these full-time *jobs* I was making Art in the evenings and on weekends. Art was keeping me interested in life. I met someone who was working for an Internet Service Provider

Paintings by Brandy Saturley at Victoria Premium Automobiles

and he would talk about all the exciting things going on with the Internet and websites. It was 1999 and I did not own a computer. Most people I know had one and worked on one, and I decided it was time for me to find out more about this Internet thing. I opened the phone book to the yellow pages, where all the businesses advertise. I flipped to the Internet service provider section and we had four at the time in Victoria, BC. I found the one with the biggest advertisement, which was a double page spread, and I called the number and asked for the manager. Of course the manager was not available, but I left a message and waited a couple days. I then called again, and left another message. I waited a few more days and called again, this time I got through to the manager directly and we had a quick chat and he told me to stop by with my resume. Keep in mind I had NO computer experience and wanted to sell dial-up Internet to people. A couple interviews later I found myself with a job in the Internet business and I had to learn very quickly. I was hired to work sales and customer service in person and over the phone.

My manager at the ISP was creating his own website and learning to write html to create his website. I asked if he could teach me, and he obliged. I began learning how to write html to create my own webpage, instead of eating lunch. In 2020, I created my first website and I posted some of my artwork on that page. This was before Facebook and even MySpace (which I became an early adopter of as an artist) I think if we were to look at our lives in ‘Internet’ years, it would be more than dog years. I finally got a home computer a year after starting my Internet job. I worked with the ISP for two years, the longest non-Art job I held. I learned so much here; from dial-up to fibre connections and html to domains.

Strathcona County Gallery @501

Fast-forward to Full-Time Artist

The modern autodidact in me found a way to write a business plan for being a fulltime artist, the artist in me found a way to sell my art to a patron who became an investor in my passion and dream. In 2007, I left my day job to pursue my Art with full intensity, energy and from this autodidact approach. Really the self-taught life is the Artist life, it is the true way of the Artist. The thing that makes the title Artist a profession and not a hobby is, I run it like a business and my artwork supports my life. Artist is my full-time career. What also makes me a ‘professional Artist’ is the way in which I pay attention to all the details of the artmaking process; from making the work, to finishing the canvasses that will hang in galleries, museums, and private collections. What I learned in all my jobs over the years provided me with a degree in being a professional self-representing Artist. From managing my website, to writing this blog, I taught myself to do it all. I have also relied on the expertise of others, to help get me where I am. Through sharing skills and supporting one another, I have been very fortunate to make money while I was learning the skills I needed for this career. Now when I look back on the business plan, in many ways it was laughable, as with this career it is ever changing like the ocean tides. Being a professional artist is like being a professional surfer. Sometimes you get the good one (wave) and other times the water is flat. In this profession you have to be ready enough to know how to spot those waves and ride them to the shore. You have to be open, honest and focused on your ride. Over the years I have moved to task lists, goal lists and idea lists to keep me moving between waves.

But you can’t rely on Internet alone

Okotoks Art Gallery

The other part of my autodidact adventures was getting out there in front of people and the Art itself. I have used the Internet to reach out to those people and places I wanted to go to expand my career and learning in the Arts. I wanted to learn more about what the commercial galleries, museums and artist-run centers of Canada were doing and I travel across Canada every chance I get. In the early days of my career it was to see art and meet people working in the Arts. I flew out to Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto to connect with mentor artists (Andrew Valko, Charles Pachter, Gordon Milne, Robert Genn, Chris Cran) who had built great careers in the Arts. I did studio visits, interviewed artists for blog and magazine articles I would write. My first solo show was presented by Visual Arts Alberta (now CARFAC Alberta) at the end of 2013, this is when #ICONICCANUCK was born. As my paintings about Canadian culture, icons and landscapes developed I began to travel the country more often. Then in 2016 when I was preparing for my 2017 solo shows, I traveled across the country and up into the Northern Territories to make art and capture these places through photography and video, returning home to write about my experiences and make paintings. In 2017 I was invited to present solo shows of my ‘Pop Canadianisms’ at Strathcona County Gallery @501 in Edmonton and The Okotoks Art Gallery in Calgary.

In 2019, I found myself on a new type of adventure as I continued my contemporary art education at the Royal College of Art in London, England – at the time the #1 post-graduate arts institution in the world. A place that David Hockney spent some of his education in Art.

I pushed myself to collaborate with the public through my ‘People of Canada Portrait Project’ and through a painting collaboration with an artist in Calgary, Alberta. I created the first artist in residence at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, painting on site at the museum.

Brandy Saturley at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity

In 2021 I joined the artist roster at Adele Campbell Fine Art, a fine art gallery in Whistler, Canada. My first foray into having a gallery represent my work. In 2022, I was invited to do a residency in the Leighton Studios at The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity through the Paul D. Fleck Fellowships in the Arts Endowment. I joined my second commercial gallery, this time in Banff, Canada with Willock & Sax.

This year I have been invited to the Pouch Cove Foundation residency in Newfoundland and will be spending a month this fall creating on the very eastern tip of Canada.

I have sold and exhibited my work across Canada, in the USA and London, England.

These are just of few of the highlights from a now 17 year career as a full-time professional artist.

In conclusion, being a modern autodidact has offered me the adventure of a lifetime and a life lived in Art, that is Art itself. Being a professional artist in this day and age, means being prepared for those waves when they come in. I wouldn’t change a thing, here’s to the continuing journey. See all my artwork on my website.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley a.k.a #ICONICCANUCK

#ICONICCANUCK at #HAPPYWALL in Edmonton, Alberta

March 13, 2023

Featured Article Island Arts

PRESS

Spring Issue Island Arts Magazine Featured Article

Featured in the Spring 2023 Issue of the Island Arts Magazine (IAM) an article written by Brandy Saturley about her time working in the Leighton Studios at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity.

The Island Arts Magazine, or IAM for short, is based in Parksville on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The Spring 2023 issue marks the beginning of their 16th year publishing this magazine about local Vancouver Island artists as well as Artists across Canada. The Island Arts Magazine has become an interactive digital publication covering artistic events, art exhibitions, workshops, editorial content on everything Canadian Art. For the first several years the focus of this art publication was Vancouver Island Artists. Over the years they were able to expand their reach to the mainland, and later all of BC. During the pandemic they expanded their offering becoming a digital magazine, presenting art and artists from across Canada – Coast to Coast.

In this 63rd issue of the magazine you can read an article by Brandy Saturley about her experience as artist in residence at the Banff Centre. Saturley spent two weeks in the Leighton Studios creating new work informed by her time in Banff and on campus. The Banff Centre is the largest arts institution in Western Canada. The Leighton Artist Studios are home to ten distinct studios, nestled in the forested area of the campus. The studios provide a creative haven to a variety of disciplines: writing for stage and screen, composing and songwriting, visual arts including painting, photography, literary translation, curating, and art theory.

Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity – Banff, Alberta

A contemporary Canadian artist whose work captures the essence of Canadian life and culture.

Saturley typically works from her home studio on Vancouver Island, surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of Canada’s west coast. Her paintings often reflect this connection to nature, with sweeping landscapes, rugged mountains, and vivid skies and central figures featuring prominently in her work. Her use of bold colors and dynamic brushstrokes creates a sense of energy and movement, and her work has been described as “joyful, emotional, and thought-provoking.”

In addition to her focus on nature, Saturley also explores themes of identity, community, and belonging in her work. Many of her paintings feature Canadian icons such as hockey players, Canadian wildlife, and maple leaves, highlighting her deep connection to her home country.

Saturley travels across Canada to exhibit, create, capture imagery and work from her experiences. She creates visual stories on canvas about moments experienced on her adventures, coming home to Vancouver Island to work from her North Saanich based studio.

More about Saturley’s time at Banff Centre here.

Read the entire issue of Island Arts Magazine here:

March 3, 2023

Women Painters To Know

Art History, Women Painters

Celebrating the Contributions of Women Painters

International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8th to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It is a day to celebrate women’s achievements and reflect on the progress that still needs to be made towards gender equality. One area where women have historically faced barriers is in the world of art, where male artists have often been more celebrated and recognized. However, there have been many talented women painters throughout history who have made significant contributions to the world of art. In this post, we will highlight some of the women painters we should know about.

Let Your Backbone Rise, Acrylic painting, 2016 Brandy Saturley

Frida Kahlo – Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist known for her self-portraits and surrealism. Her work explored themes of identity, gender, and class, and she is regarded as one of Mexico’s greatest painters.
Mary Cassatt – Mary Cassatt was an American painter known for her depictions of the lives of women and children. She was one of the few female Impressionists and her work often depicted intimate moments of everyday life.
Artemisia Gentileschi – Artemisia Gentileschi was an Italian Baroque painter who is best known for her depictions of strong and powerful women from mythology and the Bible. Her work challenged the male-dominated art world of the time.
Georgia O’Keeffe – Georgia O’Keeffe was an American painter known for her vibrant depictions of flowers, landscapes, and bones. Her work was often considered feminist for its focus on women’s bodies and sexuality.
Yayoi Kusama – Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist known for her polka-dot and infinity room installations. Her work explores themes of identity, femininity, and the relationship between the individual and the universe.
Leonora Carrington – Leonora Carrington was a British-born Mexican artist known for her surrealist paintings and sculptures. Her work often featured hybrid creatures and explored themes of transformation and the unconscious.
Berthe Morisot – Berthe Morisot was a French Impressionist painter and one of the few female members of the Impressionist movement. Her work often depicted scenes of domestic life and women’s daily routines.
Alice Neel – Alice Neel was an American painter known for her portraits, particularly of people living in poverty and those from marginalized communities. Her work challenged the norms of portraiture and the portrayal of the human form.
Tamara de Lempicka – Tamara de Lempicka was a Polish Art Deco painter known for her portraits of wealthy and glamorous women. Her work was often sexually suggestive and challenged traditional notions of femininity.
Prudence Heward was a Canadian figure painter, known for using acidic colour, a sculptural treatment, and giving an intense brooding quality to her subjects. One of the Beaver Hall Group of painters, she was also a charter member of the Canadian Group of Painters, the Contemporary Arts Society and the Federation of Canadian Artists.

Personally, the portraiture and landscape paintings of O’Keeffe, Lempicka and Heward have made significant impressions on my work as an artist, including this homage to the famous painting, ‘Saint Moritz’ by Lempicka.

Saint Kanata, Acrylic painting, 48 x 36 x 1.5 in, 2011, Brandy Saturley

These are just a few of the many talented women painters who have made significant contributions to the world of art. On International Women’s Day, let us celebrate the achievements of women artists throughout history and continue to support and uplift the voices of women in the arts.

February 28, 2023

Art Celebrating Polar Bears

Art For Sale, Featured Art

Art Celebrating Polar Bears on International Polar Bear Day

International Polar Bear Day is celebrated every year on February 27th. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of polar bears and the impact of climate change on their habitat. Polar bears are one of the most iconic species of the Arctic and are often the animal used to represent climate change. The art that follows celebrates this magnificent Arctic beast and the significance of International Polar Bear Day and the changing landscapes the bear roams.

Wanderlust, acrylic and gouache, 36 x 60 x 1.5 in (91.44 x 152.4 x 3.81 cm) Brandy Saturley

Polar bears are found in the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States. They are the largest land carnivore and are perfectly adapted to life in the Arctic. Polar bears have a thick layer of fat and a dense coat of fur that keeps them warm in the extreme cold. They are excellent swimmers and can swim for long distances in search of food. Polar bears primarily feed on seals and depend on sea ice for hunting. However, due to climate change, sea ice is melting at an alarming rate, which is causing a decline in the polar bear population.

King of The Polar Bears, Acrylic painting On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, (91.44 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm), Brandy Saturley

Climate change is the biggest threat faced by polar bears. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, which is causing the sea ice to shrink. As the sea ice melts, polar bears are losing their habitat and food source. Polar bears are also affected by other human activities, such as hunting, pollution, and oil and gas development. These activities further exacerbate the impact of climate change on polar bears.

Art Celebrating Polar Bears

The Polar Bear began appearing in the paintings of Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley as early as 2014. Saturley’s first polar bear painting featured a young blonde girl, wearing a POOK meeting a polar bear face-to-face over a crack in the arctic ice. The painting titled, ‘Face-Off’, would tell the visual storyteller of curiosity between child and bear and hint at the changing landscape Arctic home of the polar bears.

Face Off, Acrylic on canvas painting,36 x 48 x 1.5 in, (91.44 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm, Brandy Saturley

Over the years the Canadian painters’ artworks have come to address the plight of the polar bears in playful ways, creating bold visual stories on canvas. Asking the question, ‘What if polar bears went on road trips to find new homes and adapt to new areas of Canada?’ Her recent works feature the polar bears riding on JEEP’s and even canoes portaged by humans.

Queen of The Polar Bears, Acrylic painting On Canvas, 36 x 48 x 1.5 in, (91.44 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm), Brandy Saturley

International Polar Bear Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the plight of polar bears and the need for conservation efforts. It is a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting the environment and reducing our carbon footprint. By taking simple steps such as reducing energy consumption, recycling, and using public transportation, we can all contribute to the fight against climate change.

When Polar Bears Fly, Acrylic painting On Canvas, 30 x 48 x 1.5 in, (76.2 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm), Brandy Saturley

In conclusion, International Polar Bear Day is an important day to remember the importance of protecting our environment and the impact of climate change on wildlife. It is a call to action to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the habitats of these magnificent animals. We must all work together to ensure a sustainable future for polar bears and the planet.

Balance, Acrylic painting on canvas, 48 x 36 x 1.5 in, (121.92 x 91.44 x 3.81 cm), Brandy Saturley

I Am The Polar Bear acrylic, gouache, gold leaf 24 x 12 x 1.5 in (60.96 x 30.48 x 3.81 cm) Brandy Saturley

The Conversation acrylic, gouache, gold leaf 48 x 48 x 1.5 in (121.92 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm) Brandy Saturley

Polar Play, Acrylic On Canvas, 48 x 48 x 1.5 in – A playful polar bear balances shapes of butterflies and balls on the tip of his nose. From a sketch this polar bear with more realistic details is set against a abstract background of shapes and colours, reminiscent of northern lights.

See more of Saturley’s Polar Bear Paintings here.

February 27, 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

Outdoor Ice Skating Paintings

New Paintings

The Romance of Ice and Snow – Outdoor Ice Skating Paintings

Across Canada winter is a time for lacing up your skates and heading out onto the ice. Naturally this would lead me down a path of exploring outdoor ice skating paintings on canvas. For some it may be a frozen lake in the Rocky Mountains, for some it may be a farmer’s field or park that is flooded with water during the freeze. For some it may be skating down the Rideau Canal in Ottawa or in a park in Quebec. If you grew up in Canada, you know how most the of the country celebrates winter, on ice.

Early in 2021, I painted two pieces about playing hockey outdoors on fields frozen over and lakes at the base of the rocky mountains. These paintings were telling visual stories about the discovery of winter pastimes on skates in Canada. Expressing the love for skating outdoors in the Winter. Shortly after these pieces were completed I moved on to paintings of figure skaters on a frozen Lake Louise in Banff National Park. There is something romantic about these rocky mountain locations in Winter, with frozen glacial hues of teal and undertones of Payne’s Grey, the ice crystals reflecting a myriad of pastel colours from magenta to yellow. Winter is magical in Canada and romantic as we bundle in our Hudson’s Bay blankets and parkas and sit by outdoor fires. The whole landscape is aglow, day and night.

To begin 2023, I again find myself romanced by icy landscapes and skating outdoors, this time the skaters are like most of us, enjoying a skate around a lake or playing on the ice. These new paintings tell stories that celebrate Winter.

Angel of Snow & Ice – Skating on an outdoor pond, a young girl in a yellow parka is found making a snow angel on the ice. A textured piece, a portrait on an abstract background.

Original acrylic painting on canvas, 36×48, 2023, Brandy Saturley

Glide Away – A group of people skating on a frozen pond, snowy hills and treelined in the distance. Their shadows seem to be gliding away from them as the afternoon sun goes down.

Original acrylic painting on canvas, 36×48, 2023, Brandy Saturley

See more recent original paintings by Brandy Saturley.

January 19, 2023

Group Exhibition in Banff

Art Show

Filled With Snow – Group Exhibition in Banff, Alberta

For Snow Days in Banff, Willock & Sax Gallery is presenting a group art exhibition by their gallery artists, “Filled With Snow”. This group art exhibition in downtown Banff, Alberta features paintings by Brandy Saturley, Mitchell Fenton, George Weber, Margaret Shelton, Linda Craddock, Murray Hay and Martha Houston, to name a few. There is also fine art photography by Tom Willock on view and available for collecting. Running from January 18 – 31, 2023.

King of The Polar Bears | Acrylic On Canvas – 36 x 48 x 1.5 in – (91.44 x 121.92 x 3.81 cm) – Brandy Saturley

King of the Polar Bears rides on the roof of a scarlet red JEEP wrangler, snow capped Mt. Robson in the background. Taking a road trip through the rocky mountains of Canada. Adapting to the changing climate, he is out for fun and adventure. Discovering new sights, sounds and experiences.

In recent years, as wildfires ignite across the globe and ocean levels rise, artists have been faced with expressing their feelings in paint about the crisis of our times. We are seeing more Art and paintings confronting the global warming crisis, more than ever. We can feel the urgency in our bones to address social and political issues as we are vessels of society who soak it all in and pour it out onto the canvas. For me, I have felt the call and seen these issues subtly and subconsciously spill into in my art over the years. It is impossible to ignore, when you feel the heat and see the floods. Art can be a beacon of hope, lighting the way and compelling us to act. It most certainly compels me to paint, offering a beautiful and visual way to express my thoughts on the global conversation.

Polar Bears are magical creatures, loved by many. They are some of my favourite polar bear paintings. If you are in Canada, Manitoba is the place to go to see this largest land mammal, in the northern city of Churchill. Polar Bear symbolism and meaning varies amongst tribes. The Polar Bear teaches endurance and resourcefulness, a powerful and wise spirit animal. These white beauties often stir deep emotions in humans, especially now as their habitats are disappearing due to global warming. The Polar Bear is seen as a guiding spirit when facing dramatic life transitions, especially at the onset of a new path or major change in life. Seems timely as we are just coming through a challenging two years under the Covid pandemic and life as we know it is new again.

Churchill Manitoba is a place I plan to explore in the coming years. I want to study the polar bears and their behaviors up close, coming home to my studio to create new work informed by my time in Churchill. The next artist residency for a Canadian Artist painting themes of Canada.

See more polar bear paintings by Brandy Saturley.

January 16, 2023