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Famous Canadian Landscape

Painting a Famous Canadian Landscape: A Tribute to Lake Louise

Lake Louise, located in Banff, Alberta, has been a source of inspiration for me on numerous occasions. Whether I visit during the vibrant summer months when the lake reflects shades of tropical turquoise or in the midst of winter, when the ice is thick enough for various recreational activities, the beauty of this iconic Canadian landscape never fails to captivate me. Throughout my art career, I have painted Lake Louise and its majestic peaks nine times, each rendition representing a different stage of my artistic journey.

Imagine Canoe: painting of a Blackfoot chief at Lake Louise, with red canoe

Following my return from London, I embarked on a new artistic venture: painting immense landscapes on unstretched duck canvas. My first undertaking in this style was Princess Louisa Inlet, situated on the sunshine coast of British Columbia. Rumored to be named after Princess Louise, or perhaps even Queen Victoria’s mother, this landscape became the initial exploration of my large-scale artistic vision. Subsequently, I completed my second expansive work, measuring an impressive seven feet in width, in December. This piece pays homage to the breathtaking view of Lake Louise, as seen from the eastern shoreline of the Fairmont Lake Louise, facing west.

The Sound of a Landscape – Princess Louisa Inlet: oversized acrylic landscape painting by Brandy Saturley

In the summer of 2019, my art career took me to London, England, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth. This fortuitous timing granted me access to the monarch’s archives, allowing me to share the mementos and stories of her personal life—a side seldom glimpsed, especially on such a grand scale. During my time in London, the exhibition “Victoria: Woman & Crown” at Kensington Palace intrigued me the most. It offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the royal curtain, showcasing the love for the arts shared by Victoria and Prince Albert. The exhibition even included some of Victoria’s own personal paintings. Notably, there are significant connections between my hometown of Victoria, Canada (named after the monarch), and the province of Alberta (named after Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta). The name “Alberta” itself, derived from the feminine form of Albert and rooted in German, conveys a meaning of brightness, nobility, and fame.

Portrait of a young Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace, London England 2019

Both the Queen and Princess Louise were staunch supporters of the arts in their public lives. Louise, an accomplished sculptor and artist, was also a strong advocate for the feminist movement. The naming of Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta, serves as a testament to the lasting influence of the monarch.

During the creation of this large-scale Canadian landscape painting, I documented my daily progress in the studio through time-lapse filming. By condensing the footage, viewers can witness the numerous layers of acrylic color applied repetitively until the desired hues, form, and depth are achieved. Personally, I find that painting to music helps establish the desired atmosphere in my studio. Consequently, when editing this short film, I sought out music that not only complements the tone of the film but also resonates with the final artwork itself.

Brandy Saturley working on oversized landscape painting of Lake Louise, Alberta Canada

Through this oversized tribute to Lake Louise, I hope to convey the profound beauty and timeless allure of this famous Canadian landscape. With every brushstroke, I aim to capture the essence of a place that holds a special significance in both the natural and cultural heritage of Canada.

Watch the entire process of painting, Lake Louise Swish here:

See more photos and read about the painting here:

Oversized painting of Lake Louise inside Brandy Saturley studio.

See past works inspired by Lake Louise on the artists’ website here:

Poppies For Louise – by Brandy Saturley

January 2, 2020

Large Scale Landscape Painting

Artist Process

October 30, 2019

Royal College of Art

Artist Residency, London Art Scene

Experimentation and Growth: New Art Made in London at The Royal College of Art Summer Intensive

I recently returned home from a month of art making, art talking, and art education experience in London, England. In my previous blog posts I talk about this compressed and intensive art experience in detail. I also explain the impetus for the works created during my time at the Royal College of Art, on the beautiful Battersea campus, just outside central London in the borough of Wandsworth. Known as the ‘brighter borough’ the roadway sign and symbol for this area of London includes the iconic Battersea Power Station, which in outline looks somewhat like the city of Oz, with a rainbow arc above the outline of the city. My previous posts discuss in detail my timeline while at the RCA as well as the detailed stories behind the art.

For this post I am sharing more photos of my studio and the work produced while in London. Please scroll on for photos of these works that I refer to as the ‘Mirrors’ series. These are mirrors of my London experiences and the feelings being pulled from within, while I worked through my three weeks of this intensive contemporary art making experience.

Somewhere over the rainbow, and under the towering skyscrapers of London, these are the ‘MIRRORS’ paintings.

Painting I: Topsy Turvy (Rorschach for the UK)

acrylic on raw canvas, poured and brushed,

72 inches high by 53 inches wide,

Brandy Saturley 2019

Painting II: Mirror for a Queen (Victoria)

acrylic on primed canvas, poured and brushed,

added paper collage

72 inches high by 53 inches wide,

Brandy Saturley 2019

Painting III: The Countess (mirror)

acrylic on primed canvas, poured and brushed,

added paper collage

72 inches high by 53 inches wide,

Brandy Saturley 2019

Painting IV: The Metamorphosis (mirror)

acrylic on primed canvas, poured and brushed,

added paper collage

72 inches high by 53 inches wide,

Brandy Saturley 2019

Painting V: The Internal (mirror) diptych

acrylic on sanded arches paper

added pen details

2 – 13.5″ high x 10 inches wide

Brandy Saturley 2019

A view inside my studio at Royal College of Art, Sackler Painting studios, on the Battersea campus.

For more in depth descriptions of the artists’ process and meaning behind these paintings, please read the previous blog post.

August 21, 2019

Inspired by Queen Victoria

Artist Process, London Art Scene

The Discomfort Zone – Making Art Inspired by Queen Victoria

I am continually trying to make choices that put me outside of my comfort zone, it is the only way I know how to grow. When I find myself ‘too comfortable’ in life and in my art practice, I get agitated and anxious, and I need to get out and test myself and push my boundaries. I call it the ‘discomfort zone’ and sometimes it comes with kicking and screaming, but it always delivers! At the beginning of the year I decided to accept an invitation to join the contemporary art summer intensive at the Royal College of Art in London, United Kingdom. Yes, this Vancouver Island artist, born in Victoria British Columbia, hit London this summer, during Queen Victoria’s 200th anniversary party, for some zone pushing of the contemporary art kind. Making Art inspired by Queen Victoria.

It was a transformative experience, as I talk about the programme in detail in my previous blog post. During my month in London I created four new large format paintings on unstretched canvas, and two smaller works. These new works are visceral and come from deep down within. When looking at how and what I would paint during my time at the RCA, I began with looking at the current political state of affairs, with Brexit and Boris Johnson dominating the media coverage in the United Kingdom. As I have been commenting on Canadian popular culture for the past decade, I thought I might find some common themes in London. The first painting I created upon arrival in my studio at the Sackler building at the RCA, was a painting of the Union Jack flag. Much like Canada, the UK has a very strong ‘brand’ and identity based on their flag. The appeal of the flag to this Canadian artist is undeniable, and I had to have a go at creating a comment on the undercurrents felt upon my arrival. I decided to begin with raw canvas, no layer of gesso or primer, I began to pour the paint Jackson Pollock style on the raw canvas, while laid on the floor of my studio. After, rather than take my brush and spread the paint around, I chose to fold the canvas in half, then stomped with my feet and used my hands to spread the paint like peanut butter between two slices of bread. I was creating a mirror image, a Rorshack if you will, offering symmetry between the two sides and many opportunities to see things within the abstract application of paint.

Once dry, I hung the painting on the wall. Many images were appearing to me and I decided to grab a brush and add some depth and dimension to the piece, as well as a contrast of Indian yellow, an orange-yellow to the composition. I wanted to comment on the ‘topsy turvy’ nature of the nation and the feeling of ‘which way is up’, as I felt this undercurrent throughout my time in London. I began to turn the canvas and settled on a vertical display, adding to the comment on the uncertainty of the times in London.

As I moved through my work at the college I was looking to keep pushing the boundaries and go deeper, more visceral, and more personal. The next painting began after taking in the Queen Victoria exhibition at Kensington Palace. I found the show to be very moving as it touched on her difficulty with child birth and her responsibilities as Queen. Throughout the show paintings of the Queen are framed ornately in circular frames of carved wood gilded with gold, I began to create next, what would become mirrors on canvas. Perhaps influenced by my visit to Kensington Palace and into the archives of a Queen, whom my city is named after. Being born and living in the capital of British Columbia, Victoria is close to my heart.

Developing a body of work – an ode to Victoria – Brandy Saturley in Sackler studios at RCA Battersea campus.

Mirror of My Soul – poured painting with painterly brush details and paper collage, by Brandy Saturley 2019 – created in the Sackler studios at the RCA in London UK

As I came to complete my second painting, I found a new direction and the potential for a series of paintings based on the ‘mirror reflection’ theme. I also confirmed a consistent size for these pieces on unstretched canvas. At 73 inches long by 53 inches wide, they were lovely large draped pieces, almost like tapestries. I began to create the next two pieces side-by-side, in conversation with one another. This time I decided to paint the background of the canvasses in raw umber and red tones, reaching deeper into the soul.

Mirror Mirror – these two paintings were poured first, then painterly brush details were added after hanging. The palette of each piece includes gilded gold tones on the outer edges, reminiscent of the frames seen in both Kensington and Buckingham Palace. 2019 Brandy Saturley

During my time in London I also visited Buckingham Palace, which was showing another elaborate Queen Victoria exhibition. The lavish textures, deep jewel toned hues, gilded gold frames and trims were burnt into my brain, clearly influential in the creation of these new paintings.

Framed painting of Queen Victoria as seen at Kensington Palace in London UK. Exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria.

In the final group exhibition I chose to show the three works that were consistent with the ‘mirrors’ theme. With my signature vivid palette and rainbow hues, the three paintings became portals, and beings of their own. I also created two other works on paper which were not exhibited in the final show, but were nice compliments to the three larger works. I am very pleased with these new paintings and am looking forward to how this time in London, influences my future work.

paintings at Royal College of Art Dyson gallery

Final works created by Brandy Saturley at Royal College of Art Summer Contemporary Art intensive, July/August 2019. Shown here in the artists painting studios in the Sackler building at RCA Battersea.

Final exhibition: ‘What is an Image’ at Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art in Battersea London, United Kingdom.

For more information about these paintings please email us. See the full portfolio of paintings by Brandy Saturley here.

August 20, 2019

Royal College of Art London

Art Opening, Artist Process, London Art Scene

Making Art at the Royal College of Art in London

London is the capital of, and largest city, in England, and the United Kingdom. It is known as the financial centre of the world and one of the world’s Art & Culture centres. From the Fine Arts at iconic institutions such as the Royal College of Art, to Literary Arts and Theatre to classical and popular music, London is a destination for Artists and art lovers alike.

Earlier this year, I was looking for an opportunity to challenge myself and disrupt my studio work of the past couple decades. As I enter mid-career as an artist, I am feeling myself moving into a new chapter with my art and the way I make paintings. I feel the best way to access new ways of making art, experiment, and freshen up my practice, is to make art in one of the worlds art centres. Far away from my western Canadian home, on Vancouver Island. I was looking for a professional experience, where I could access the best minds in the business and find out how my artwork would fare, in an International setting. My work has become nationally recognized in Canada over the past decade, I was now looking at moving beyond Canada, and London came calling.

Tower Bridge London, UK – photo Brandy Saturley

In February this year, I was invited to join the Contemporary Art Summer Intensive Program at the Royal College of Art in London, England. The Royal College of Art (RCA) is rated the number one postgraduate college for art and design in the world. Delivering numerous Masters and PHD level programs in art, design and humanities; the college attracts the best of the best on the International art scene. Beginning in July, this intensive course ran over three weeks during the busiest and hottest summer the city has ever seen. A peek inside my time at the Royal College of Art…

Royal College of Art Dyson Building – Battersea campus

Week 1: my week began with setting up in the painting studios in the Sackler building on the Battersea campus, followed by an afternoon of presentations from faculty, alumni, staff and the 22 artists in this year’s summer program. Originating from Italy, Spain, NYC, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, China, Macao, and London; we all presented our work in the Gorvy Lecture Theatre over the course of the afternoon.

Brandy Saturley presenting Gorvy Lecture Theatre RCA

With our studios open and available 7 days a week, most nights until 8pm, we began independent study and creating new work under the influence of our course leader, Despina Zacharopoulou. (Born in Greece, Zacharopoulou is a performance artist who holds a Master in Fine Arts, a Master in Visual Arts (Costume Design – Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts), and an Msc in Architecture. Apart from her artistic practice, she has been involved in academic teaching. She has participated in various exhibitions in Greece, Belgium, Russia and the UK and has received scholarships and awards for her academic achievements. Her biggest large-scale performance project so far was a seven week (324hrs) long durational performance entitled “Corner Time” commissioned by the Marina Abramovic Institute.)

Course leader Despina Zacharopoulou and Dean of RCA

Our first week included the hottest day on record for London at 40 degrees Celsius, this made for added challenges as we began creating new work and adjusting to our new routine in a very busy city. My week included art gallery visits to South London art gallery, WhiteChapel Gallery and the endlessly fascinating, Flat Time House. (Flat Time House was the studio home of British conceptual artist John Latham and is now open as a contemporary art gallery, centre for alternative learning and artist residency space, housing the John Latham archive.)

Flat Time House in Peckham, London

From first week tutorials with leading artists and alumni from around the world, to a film screening and discussion, we were well on our way to quickly integrating into this new art community. We were already finding ourselves experimenting with new ways of communicating, through the use of our chosen mediums.

RCA Sackler Studios - Brandy Saturley work in progress

RCA Sackler Studios – Union Jack painting by Brandy Saturley work in progress

Week 2: the weekend played an important role in offering concentrated studio time, preparing for our first critique sessions (crits) over the second week. The course continued with film screenings, and a writing workshop with Dr. Chantal Faust. (Dr Chantal Faust is an artist, writer and Senior Tutor at the RCA. Her photographic, painting, video and installation works have been exhibited in the UK, Australia and North America. Faust has contributed book chapters to contemporary art publications, and regularly writes for academic journals, magazines, and exhibition catalogues.)

Dr. Chantal Faust and Brandy Saturley discussing work week 1

We found new ways of accessing our internal, visceral voice as artists, as we worked through movement and performance workshops led by Despina Zacharopoulou. This second week ended with more concentrated time in the studio.

performance workshop at RCA

The transformation begins: At this point I began to experience a transformative moment in my artwork, spurred on by the writing and performance workshops earlier in the week. Like many of the artists in the program, we began to move beyond our initial ideas and plans for art making. Ideas we had brought with us from our respective homes, and began making new work based on our experiences in the program, and influenced by our time in London. We were becoming like a ‘hive-mind’ of sorts, where our studio mates and our shared experiences were helping to form deep connections to our inner artist voices. Many of our interactions and workshops were quite intimate, which can often be foreign to the modern-day artist as we are sequestered in our studios alone, a great deal of the time. I also found that the use of technology, computer communication, and social media fell to the wayside in favour of personal connections.

Taking on #Brexit – The Art of Brandy Saturley

Week 3: our last week began with working through our final details and preparing our works for the group exhibition on Friday. Our final tutorial sessions came on the Tuesday and I was pleased to be paired with Professor Jo Stockham for my final tutorial session. Jo has a wealth of knowledge and experience that I found valuable to my work as a painter.

photo of Brandy Saturley in studio by Hattie Allen

(Jo Stockham professor and Head of the Printmaking programme since 2008. She began working at the Royal College of Art in 1993 as a Visiting Lecturer in Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking. After studying painting at Falmouth School of Art, Jo worked at Chisenhale Studios for two years before undertaking an MA in Sculpture at Chelsea College of Art and Design. Returning to Chisenhale, she initiated an education programme with local schools and helped build Chisenhale Gallery, an experience which was formative in her desire to work in and create public spaces alongside studio work. Over the next 20 years, her studio practice was supported by running workshops for the Whitechapel Gallery, Tate, Camden Arts Centre and part-time teaching. Her first full-time teaching position commenced in 2008 when she became head of Printmaking at the RCA.)

A final film screening and a day of installing the show rounded out the week.

installing the show at RCA Dyson Gallery

FINAL DAY AND SHOW: on our final day at the college we spent the day participating in final crits under the bold leadership of Professor Johnny Golding. (Johnny Golding is Professor of Philosophy & Fine Art, and Senior Tutor at the RCA. Born in NYC, Golding lived in Toronto carrying out PHD studies at the Universities of Toronto and Cambridge.)

talking about contemporary art – work by Brandy Saturley

Golding was joined by Habda Rashid, curator of WhiteChapel Gallery (Habda Rashid is Assistant Curator at the Whitechapel Gallery, working on a variety of exhibitions including; commissions solo and survey shows. As part of her role she also coordinates, edits and writes in exhibition catalogues. Habda is also a visiting tutor on the MFA programme at, Goldsmith University and has sat on the selection panel for Temple Bar Gallery and Studios, Dublin.)

Habda Rashid - painting by Brandy Saturley

Habda Rashid curator WhiteChapel – painting Brandy Saturley

A spirited day of crits followed by an evening opening of our final art exhibition at the RCA Dyson Gallery; for alumni, staff, patrons and public.

It was an intense three weeks, with a fourth spent on my own exploring all London has to offer. I am still processing all the information and thinking about how my experiences in London will push my work forward as a professional artist. Unlike many of the artists and instructors I met, I rely solely on the sales of my work and commissions to support my full-time art career and not on income from teaching or a job on the side. It will be interesting to see where my work ends up from here and look forward to developing my relationships abroad, as I work towards my goal of exhibiting and selling work internationally.

Final exhibition Dyson Gallery

Your question may be, why does a successful mid-career painter from Canada upset her studio practice and take off to London to go to school and make new artwork. The answer is a continuous need to push beyond the boundaries of the work, the comfort zones. In order to keep me invested, I need to keep growing and risking things as an artist. The need to risk things and push myself into areas where I am not comfortable, it is what has gotten me to the place I am as a professional Canadian artist. I’m a creator and a fighter, and I am here to make the most honest, best work, I can. For routine kills creative thought and we must shake up or perspective, our routine and challenge our point of view, every so often.

Onward and upward! ~ Brandy

About the new paintings: more about the paintings created during my time at the Royal College of Art, with detailed photos.

Brandy Saturley with her paintings at RCA Sackler Studios

*photos on this page courtesy; RCA, Despina Zacharopoulou, Hattie Allen, Mei Kei Lai, Brandy Saturley

August 20, 2019

12 Years Painting Canada

Art Career

Celebrating 12 Years Painting Canada.

July 1, 2019 marked my 12^th year as a full-time professional visual artist, painting Canada. This past week I received an email from an art dealer in the Silicon Valley, their first question to me, “how long have you been an artist?” This is always a very strange question to an artist, as artists’ we have all been making art since we were children, and as such we have always considered ourselves artists.

This means, I have been an artist for over 40 years. My professional career, where I began showing and selling my work, began about 30 years ago, while still in high school. Over the past two decades, I have spent a considerable amount of time setting myself up as an independent self-representing artist. For many years I worked a side job, while producing artwork, mostly drawing. I began painting, seriously, about 18 years ago.

The past 12 years have been all about painting, exhibiting, traveling, and selling my art. Over the past 8 years I have worked hard at immersing myself deeply into the Canadian art communities of Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Toronto. I have created two collaborative projects, written for numerous Canadian publications and artist websites and have contributed to the Canadian Arts community through advocacy groups and on public art committees. I’ve visited a few art fairs, won a few awards and been paid to show my work. I have been commissioned to make work for corporations and private clients, and have licensed my work to many unique brands in Canada and the USA. As I head into my 13^th year, I am reflecting on some works of the past.

Twelve paintings for 12 years. It was hard for me to pick twelve, as I have painted near 400 now. It was also more challenging to pick favourites as the years increased. I am finding I now have more favourites than I did in the beginning. Maybe it highlights consistency as an artist as my years of experience grow, or as my passion for painting deepens. You would think after 12 years of painting daily my interest would wain, but it is quite the opposite, the intensity and passion grow. Rather than focus on my accomplishments of the past twelve years, I want to focus on the personal side of my journey as an Artist, and how life and art are intertwined and have become one in the same.

Here are 12 paintings for 12 years;

2007

The TREES Period: in 2007 I was fresh out of the gate with full days to concentrate on painting, naturally I began with nature. My live/work studio at the time was a 6^th floor view of Beacon Hill Park in Victoria, BC – nothing but trees for miles. I guess I had trees on the brain, and still love finding the character in each tree I meet.

Arbutus Hug – 40×30, acrylic on canvas, 2007, Brandy Saturley

2008

The VEGAS Period: in 2006 I was married in Las Vegas, by Elvis of course! The sheer ‘overload’ and ‘overstimulation’ provided by this loud landscape was putting electric images in my head. The otherworldly shows of Montreal born, Cirque Du Soleil, helped push these ideas as my mind spun like a top.

Cirque Reflections – 48×24, acrylic on canvas, 2008, Brandy Saturley

2009

The BEATLES Period: this marks the year that I FULLY connected with the Beatles and their entire catalogue of music. I was born years after they broke-up, but once I fully embraced their music, they have played consistently in the background of my studio. The Beatles channel on Sirius satellite radio is a revelation, and the narratives of their music, as well as their album covers continue to inspire my brush. The Beatles Period has never really ended and continues to creep into my work.

Passion Gnu Solo (Glass Onion Soup) – 48×48, acrylic on canvas, 2009, Brandy Saturley

2010

The TRANSITIONAL Period: as I continued to move forward with mastering figurative techniques in my paintings, my romance with the landscapes of Canada remained. This year I moved my home and studio into a space more than double my previous. My view turns to lagoon, ocean and estuary, with birdsong and nature at the helm. The greenness of BC and the trees brought inspiration for my largest painting to date, at 48” wide by 60” wide, this piece is a showstopper of soothing green and abstract forms.

Aerial Landscape: Crossroads – 48×60, acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley, 2010

2011

The #ICONICCANUCK Period

2010 brought the Olympic games to Vancouver BC – Canadian stereotype and pride was at an all-time high on the west coast of Canada, a place where we usually escape the stereotypical mounties, beer, moose and hockey. It made me think. What does it mean to be a Canadian? I began with hockey; the rest is history.

Goalie’s Mask: red, white & Dryden – 36×48, acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley, 2010

2012

As I continue with my ‘Canadian’ comment I incorporate the Canadian flag for composition purposes, on the landscape. Travels through the Rocky Mountains imprint on my mind. Emboldening my comment on Canada.

Poppies For Louise – 48×36, acrylic on canvas, 2012, Brandy Saturley

2013

With a Goalie Mask on the Canadian flag, my initial representation of Canada, my focus turns to nature and a black bear skull on the iconic Hudson’s Bay Company stripes. A good representation of Canadian symbolism in art.

HBC Skull – 36×48, acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley, 2013

2014

The CANCER Period: the end of 2014 marked a bit of exhaustion and a diagnosis of cervical cancer, with a radical hysterectomy and lymph node removal, the remedy. In December, I had major surgery. It was another transitional time, and reminder that art does not happen without health. This year changed my outlook on life, and as an artist.

Dreaming in the Colours of Eh – 48×36, acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley, 2014

2015

The CANADIANISMS Period: the beginning of 2015 marked my comeback from surgery and aftereffects. It took me a while to get my core muscles back, as I began the year with some very small works. By the Summer I was back at it with this large format piece, at 48×48 inches. I was thinking beyond the stereotypes of Canada and turning back to the landscapes, nature and our connection to the land.

Canadian Subconscious – 48×48, acrylic on canvas, Brandy Saturley, 2015

2016

The REBIRTH Period: a new body, a new mindset and a renewed interest in the landscape, this time interjecting myself into the famous landscapes of Lawren Harris and the Group of Seven. My commentary as a female Canadian painter was deepening, as my fearlessness in art and life had grown to new heights. I felt fully prepared to take on the greats and claim my spot in Canadian art history.

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

2017

The CANADA150 Period: with the past 5 years painting themes of Canadiana, the public galleries came calling for content. With a traveling solo retrospective, numbering more than 30 paintings, my year was filled with celebration, art talks, conversations, and stories that would fill my next bodies of work. As the past paintings connected with audiences in other parts of Canada, I continued to paint myself into the landscape. Marveling at it’s grandeur, examining it’s importance in Canadian art, honouring the land and holding it safely for future generations.

A Landscape to Go – acrylic on wood panel, 36×36, Brandy Saturley, 2017

2018

The LANDSCAPE AS PORTRAIT Period: with 2018 came another change in life, a move into a new home and studio, my largest studio to date. With this change a need to move my comment on Canada forward. I began looking more to my feelings, expressing these feelings through use of colour and form, while continuing to keep a figure in the landscape. My new, visionary paintings collage different, unexpected elements of Canadiana rendered in my characteristic pop aesthetic. These landscapes 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. These new paintings are otherworldly, transportive and playful.

Raised in The Sky – acrylic on canvas, 36×48, Brandy Saturley, 2018

Onto lucky number 13.

2019

The LONDON Year: taking my art, International.

As I head into year thirteen, I am preparing for a new adventure and opportunity to push the boundaries of my painting. For one month I will be making new work at the Royal College of Art in London as part of their Contemporary Art Summer program. It will be an intense three weeks of art making in the largest city in the European Union, and one of the world’s major art centres. As I work on preparing materials for my trip, I am looking forward to connecting with my Cornish heritage. Bringing my ‘Canadianisms’ to London – I am excited about this new opportunity to examine my work, through a British lens.

You can watch my progress in London on Instagram, my Facebook fan page or here on this blog.

July 4, 2019

The Artist and Her Muse

People Of Canada Portrait Project

The Artist and Muse: the 13th Canadian Portrait

A muse’s job is to penetrate the male artist and bring forth a work from the womb of his mind, right? Historically speaking, the artist’s muse, is a great source of artistic inspiration. In mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses who symbolized the arts and sciences. There have been many famous traditional artist/muse relationships over the years such as Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol’s poor little rich girl, or Dora Maar who inspired several of Picasso’s most famous paintings. For women throughout art history, the relationship between female artist and male muse has often been more subtle, hidden behind the canvas, rarely depicted.

In today’s world, a muse is a person who serves as an artist’s inspiration, and there are more female artists painting their male muses. Traditionally male artist’s, and men in many professions provided, and women raised the family and took care of the household. Gendered expectations of women as primary caretakers of others, would get in the way of women pursuing cultural production.

My grandmother was one of these women, as she was busy raising a family and helping run a business on the Canadian prairies. Recently I discovered my grandmothers hand written recipe book, with about twenty blank pages at the end. Thinking there was nothing more most would just close the book and toss to the side. I thought it was strange and flipped to the back of the book where I found lists. These lists were ideas, and information, perhaps read in newspapers or seen on TV and heard on radio. The lists included a budget for art supplies and painting lessons. It seemed in later years my grandmother found a way to save her pennies and put this money towards making art, mostly in secret. My grandmother owned and ran a gas station, ran a restaurant and nightclub, sewed and weaved traditional Ukrainian textiles. My mother was very close with my grandmother and she also began cooking, and enjoying creative pursuits such as drawing and painting. These women instilled a love for the arts in my life. I did not take to the domestic side of life, I dreamed of grander pursuits and envisioned a wildly creative life.

Fast-forward to 2014, I began creating a body of work that would rely on collaboration with everyday Canadians, and people not necessarily connected to the arts or near major art centers. I suppose looking back now, it is like I am reaching back in time and trying to bring art to those that did not have access or see the value of artistic pursuits, or perhaps it is that I am reaching out to everyone in hopes to touch their lives through art, to speak to them through painting. This project, the ‘People of Canada Portrait Project’ relies on Canadians to send me a photo of themselves, in their authentic clothing, central to their identities. Through the process of interview questions, I decide on a background for the painting and then paint the subjects into the background, in many cases.

Now five years in and 13 paintings, the project has grown organically and at a much slower pace than I had originally anticipated. As the project has been a side-bar to my core work as an artist, I give it what time I can as I work on several projects concurrently, including running my business as an independent artist. As such I have been able to watch my work grow as my technical abilities for portraiture mature.

As I am coming into my 13th year working as a full-time professional artist, it seemed appropriate to paint a self portrait and the person who is integral to my life. Not only is he my greatest muse, he is my greatest supporter and sometimes collaborator. He is my husband and as I write this I realize that we will also be celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary this December. Seems like the number 13 is our lucky number.

In numerology the number 13 tends to accomplish most things without the need of others or relying on them to make the decisions. Most of the goals are about building the foundation for the future. 13’s are very determined and tend to go after their goals with persistence. The basic meaning of 13 is composed of the ideas of focus, pragmatism, secure foundation, independence, and creative self-expression.

Referenced as #ICONICCANUCK and the #KILTPIPER on the People of Canada Portrait Project website, we are a couple of gregarious and life loving Canadians who live for the moment, and road trips in our ruby red JEEP.

As with the previous portraits we will participate in answering questions about ourselves and our thoughts about being Canadian, through grilling one another. For now here is the portrait; The Artist and The Muse. More to follow…

June 26, 2019

Collectors Art

Buying Art, Canadian Art

Collectors Art: curated art collections, ready for you to purchase.

In our first article about curated art collections, we talked about the inception of the idea for these collectors art boxes, crated and ready for you to purchase.

The first release of ‘BOX SETS’ in March was a great success. A limited time offering to own curated art collections; ready to hang in your home, corporate art collection or office. With the first limited time offering, we presented five distinct hand painted art crates filled with various sizes of important original fine artworks, paintings created by Canadian artist, Brandy Saturley. With the first five crates we offered a range of sizes from small artworks in the 12″ x 12″ size to larger artworks such as 30″ x 40″ and 36″ x 36″. These art collections ranged in price from $3000.00 to $29,000.00. With this second release of fine art to collect, we are going bigger, not only in the size of artworks available, but in the size of the art collections contained within each crate.

Crate #6 is a stunner! The paintings of Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley, are stories of the landscape told using brush on canvas. These artworks are vivid love letters inspired by Canada and beyond. This crate contains a wealth of art; not only in value, but also in beauty. The ‘Beauty’ collection includes six original fine artworks painted between 2010 and 2017. Artworks included in this collection feature iconic Canadian landscapes such as; views of Lake Louise from Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Babel, Robson and Assiniboine mountains from the Rocky Mountain range, the commemorative Canada150 tulip, the red maple leaf, and red poppies. These paintings are more than your average landscape painting, much more. Employing the artists’ signature vivid and saturated palette and utilizing abstract form and shape, these landscapes tell stories far beyond the landscapes themselves. Offering you, the collector, the ultimate way to invest in an art collection. Pre-selected and ready to hang, with the finest coated hanging wire professionally affixed to the back of each piece. Making collecting original fine art online, easy.

More than landscapes, I am telling visual stories.

“I am continually and obsessively consuming this world and expressing it vividly on canvas, I am not just painting what I see, I am painting the story of what I see. I am continually collecting experiences, spurned by my travels. My excavation of the world around me begins with exploring, I am continually exploring the world, and drinking it all in, through my eyes, ears, nose and tongue. As I move throughout the world, I am continually collecting and re-imagining. I am a storyteller, but not the writing kind, words are not my forte and reading a book can take years. With everything I experience my mind begins to draw, so as reading can inspire thoughts and images in my head, it can also impede me from finishing a chapter as my mind begins to paint.

Most of the paintings you see, begin with an idea and a photograph, I begin with a central theme or focal point and then the brush tells me where to go. I do not plan out my paintings from beginning to end, I do not begin with a number of sketches or rigorous blueprint. I have tried creating from sketches, and while they are a great starting point, much like my photos, they are just the point of inception. Once the painting begins, the painting tells me where to go, and it doesn’t always work out, and this allows for innovation. I drink it all in, and then I paint it all out. I make art because it is what I have done my whole life. I never really had a choice in the matter, art chose me and I obliged. My biggest fear is that I will die with all these ideas left in my head, and yet the more art I make, the more I have to make. Art never sleeps and the job of an artist never ends.”

As for the crate that the paintings are safely stored within, it is imbued with it’s own signature artwork.

There are many passionate stories being expressed in this art collection. Below we will highlight each painting with a comment about each piece from the artist.

Here are ‘THE PAINTINGS’ in BOX SET #6:

Poppies For Louise

A painting of ruby red poppies on the shore of Lake Louise with a signature red canoe, turquoise waters, glaciers and mountain in the background – Canadian flag imposed. A love letter to Lake Louise, this piece is inspired by the composition of the Canadian Flag set against the turquoise blue waters of Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. The red canoe, features the number nine, the most star worn number in professional hockey and the NHL. An ode to Canada, from sea to sky and sport to nature.

2. Patchwork Nation

A painting of a Canadian Maple Leaf on an aerial view of the prairies and the multicolored crops and lines as seen by air when you fly over Mantioba and Saskatchewan. Canada is a Patchwork Nation and this piece is a re-imagining of the Canadian flag against the abstract aerial view of the prairie crops.

3. Assiniboine

This painting is my representation of Mount Assiniboine, a pyramidal peak mountain on the Great Divide on the BC/Alberta border. This peak is nicknamed, ‘the Matterhorn of the Rockies’, for it’s resemblance to the Matterhorn in the Alps. I imagined Warhol painting these peaks, with his POP Art palette. In total there are 13 peaks in this series, some of the most famous and least known peaks in the Rocky Mountain range from BC to Alberta.

4. Robson

This painting is my representation of Mt. Robson, it is the most prominent mountain in the Rocky Mountain range and the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. Bordering BC and Alberta, Mt. Robson is awe-inspiring and takes your breath away as you drive into the park and hike to the base of the mountain. In 2010, I found myself on a new journey, this time travelling through the land of giants, the Rocky Mountains of the Western Canadian Landscape. I felt utterly alone in a hauntingly impressive landscape as I watched sunrise paint these snowy peaks, casting shadows and vivid shades of blue, purple, orange, blue-green depending on time of day and position of the sun or moon. From the Group of Seven to Robert Genn, these mountains have romanced many and the love affair continues.

5. Babel

Part of the, ‘I See Mountains’ series inspired by peaks in the Canadian Rocky Mountain range from BC to Alberta. Mount Babel is a peak in the Bow Range in Banff, Alberta that bears a resemblance to the tower of From the Group of Seven to Warhol, these mountains have romanced many and the love affair continues.

6. Charity

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.

As for the crate that the paintings are safely stored within, imbued with it’s own signature artwork. As seen below;

This crate safely houses the artworks of BOX SET #6, is painted with a graphic rendering of the painting ‘Poppies For Louise’ which is contained within the crate itself.

On the reverse side of the crate the words, ‘Beauty Day’ emblazon the crate – a common saying in Canada on a beautiful sunny day.

Art to talk about for generations to come, view the collections now.

June 3, 2019

The Art of Collaboration

Collaboration

The Art of Collaboration: Inspired by Famous Art Collaborations in History

There I was, a young artist beginning art college, excited about all the possibilities of art and romanced by the stories of famous artists’ lives and artists of the past. As a Canadian artist the most famous artist group is perhaps the Group of Seven, created and led by Canadian landscape painter, Lawren Harris. Assembling a number of Canadian painters into a group or club, Harris managed to direct the aesthetic of the group and create the ‘aesthetic of the North, the aesthetic of Canada’. Though not truly a collaboration, the group did create an outcome of a group effort, much like a collaboration achieves. They showed us the art of collaboration.

Back to that art history class. Art history classes begin with the ancient, European Art, which mystifies and romanticizes the artist life. Ancient art and specifically paintings were based on technique, craftsmanship and knowledge. Fast forward to the 1950’s and early 60’s of the New York City art world, a movement which challenged the traditions of fine art by including imagery from popular and mass culture. This movement included many artist collaborations, which saw artist’s paint together and even on the same canvas, imagine two artists painting in opposite, yet complimentary styles, on the same canvas. Inconceivable!

Most famous is perhaps the collaborative pop art meets street art paintings of Andy Warhol and Jean Michel Basquiat, where a famous Warhol took a less famous Basquiat under his wing and painted together on the same canvas in his studio. Even though some critics didn’t appreciate Basquiat and Warhol‘s relationship — some claiming that Basquiat was a fame-hungry leech trying to ride on Warhol’s reputation while others stating that Warhol was an opportunist who was using Basquiat’s talent for his own ends, the truth seems to show that the relationship was genuine, if fraught with frustrations. Whether intentionally exploitative of Warhol or not, it is true that the young Basquiat felt deeply for the man, and created masterpieces with his idol.

Fast forward to artists in Canada in the 20th century, and one in particular, Douglas Coupland. For his major solo exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2014, ‘everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything’. Often incorporating everyday materials and objects such as plastic lids, children’s toys, pencils and books, Coupland’s work and installations require a collaborative effort with everyday people, asking them to participate through collecting and sending him items to include in his pop culture creations.

Collaborative art is an interesting phenomenon, I mean we are artists, we are very independent with singular signature visions of what we want to create, so how can visual artists collaborate? If you look at the musicians, collaboration is important in their process and often better when one or more are together, such as the case with Lennon and McCartney and the Beatles. Collaboration made these artists better and stronger as they riffed off each other and pushed each other forward. Prior to the establishment of formal artistic training schools, the close bond between artists was often forged in the studio or the gallery. The sense of camaraderie – as well as competition – between artists presented opportunity for them to learn, and steal, from one another – collaboration can create better art through outcomes you cannot control.

So what is collaboration in terms of art? is it teamwork? The key difference between teamwork and collaboration is that in teamwork, a group of people perform their individual roles to contribute to the achievement of a goal whereas in collaboration, all individuals are partners that share work as well as ideas and insights to achieve a common objective.

In the footsteps of past artist collaborations and famous artist collaborators I came to create two collaborations in art. The first began in 2014, shortly after I visited the Douglas Coupland exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The People of Canada Portrait Project, a collaborative portrait painting project, between myself and everyday Canadians. Through photos submitted by Canadians, I paint portraits based on the stories they share with me about their lives as Canadians.

For the project, I used social media and the internet as a tool for connecting to a diverse audience of subjects. I never know what photo will grab my attention and you never know what the backstory will be, but the photo has to ‘grab’ me, I have to be invested in the subjects I will paint. The original images selected as reference points for portraits are displayed in a stream on the project’s website (Peopleofcanada.ca). Through interviews, process photos, and short films the original subjects of the photographs become part of the project’s archive, material for future excavation into how people define themselves as Canadian. By choosing their own photographs, my subjects participate in their own self-representation. Yet they also cede control as I invent a landscape intended to amplify the relationship between the people and landscapes depicted.

As this Canadian portrait project continues to grow and evolve, the project guidelines I set forth in the beginning have also evolved, because of the collaborative experience.

The second collaboration I am currently working on, is inspired by the tradition of landscape painting in Canada, and the Group of Seven. In 2017, I began collaborating with another Canadian painter, based in Calgary, Alberta. The idea: paint mountain peaks on the provincial border of Alberta and British Columbia (the border that divides us as artists) Painting mountains on the continental divide, the painting begins in one artists’ studio in Calgary, and the painting is completed in the other artists’ studio in Victoria. Inspired by famous collaborations of art history past, such as Warhol and Basquiat, Johns and Rauschenberg, and Rivera & Kahlo – this was going to be interesting as in our case we live 1059KM apart, a 13 hour drive and a ferry boat. Each painting rendered in brushstrokes from each artist. Each painting a collaborative effort and celebration of two styles, creating a new language, expressing a combined love of the Rockies. Beyond the borders of the paintings, and beyond the borders that divide two provinces that have been locked into a political battle over a pipeline. Moving us beyond the borders of our differences, and bringing us together, over art. In honour of Group of Seven luminary, Lawren Harris, we selected a name under which to paint, and the Mountain Forms Collective is born.

The art of collaboration is truly one that requires patience, an openness to learning no matter your level of experience and expertise (leave your ego at the door) respect of your collaborators, working as a team to achieve something bigger than yourself, the creation of a new community in which to grow and propagate your ideas and the unique experience of creating something important, together. For if it is important to you, it is important to make it heard in any way you can conceive!

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

May 15, 2019

International Women’s Day

Canadian Art

Women in Canadian Art – Celebrating International Women’s Day

For many of us our first mentors are our parents. As our world’s grow and change we look to our teachers, our elders and the heroes and heroines in the stories we read and even see on the movie screens. For me, my first mentor in art was my mother, an artist herself as was my grandmother. As my interest in the Arts grew, so did my investigation into those who came before me, and those whose work I admire. From that first art teacher in high school to my instructors in college, there were many women who paved the way and nudged me forward into a career as a professional visual artist. To celebrate International Women’s Day, here are five women artists, who inspired me to add my voice to the Canadian Art landscape.

Emily Carr – the first woman artist who captured my attention was Emily Carr. I was born in the city that was the final home of the iconic female painter who was an adventurous and independent spirit. Her home now a museum called ‘Emily Carr House’ on Government Street in Victoria BC. Emily Carr was one of the first painters in Canada to adopt a Modernist painting style, Carr did not receive widespread recognition for her work until late in life. Carr had a very ‘rough’ life and was thought to be somewhat crazy by her Victorian neighbors. I recall my uncle telling a story of walking around the neighborhood and passing Carr’s house, he was just a little boy and recalls how badly she was treated by passersby. She was known to keep a monkey as a pet and would often trade paintings for handiwork around her home. The subject matter of her painting shifted from aboriginal themes to landscapes—forest scenes in particular. As a writer, Carr was one of the earliest chroniclers of life in British Columbia. The Canadian Encyclopedia describes her as a “Canadian icon”. Lawren Harris says of her: “The work of Emily Carr and the circumstances in which it was achieved are unique in Canada. She was a passionate, powerful and creatively determined individual who turned fully to her beloved woods and skies and Native Villages. From the earliest work of her girlhood and on into the work of her last years, in hundreds of paintings and sketches, there unfolds the inner story of a vital adventure, full of intense struggle to achieve and the reward of the living embodiment in paint of her love.” The Indian Church(renamed Church at Yuquot Village in 2018 by the Art Gallery of Ontario) 1929. Group of Seven artist Lawren Harris bought the painting to showcase it in his dining room, and called it Carr’s best work.

Prudence Heward – I first enjoyed a Heward original portrait up close and personal at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. I was struck by her provocative depictions of the everyday woman, against soft and idealized backgrounds. Her palette choices were bold as were her strokes. I am drawn to the simplicity and abstract quality of the forms in the background juxtaposed with the more realistic portraits in the foreground. Heward was a frail child and she suffered from asthma her whole life, the frequent attacks forcing her to cease painting for various lengths of time. This part of her story I could relate to very well, as I too suffered with childhood asthma and experienced many hospital visits and sick days for the first 25 years of my life. Perhaps this is one of the reasons I find myself drawn to her brooding portraits. Her work inspired some of my choices when painting the portraits for the People of Canada Portrait Project. She was a member of the Beaver Hall Group and a co-founder of the Canadian Group of Painters and the Contemporary Arts Society. This is ‘Rollande’ painted in 1929 – National Gallery of Canada collection.

Molly Lamb Bobak – Bobak was a Canadian teacher, writer, printmaker and painter working in oils and watercolours. During World War II, she was the first Canadian woman artist to be sent overseas to document Canada’s war effort, and in particular, the work of the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, as one of Canada’s war artists. In one of the first generations of Canadian women who earned their livings as artists, Bobak became known for her paintings, drawings, and watercolours. For her role in the Second World War and many other accomplishments she was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1973 and presented with the Order of Canada. I must admit I was not that familiar with Bobak’s work as Canada’s war arist, Alex Colville eclipsed any other work of the time. Bobak’s work is sublimely feminine and energetic, there is much movement in her work much like the impressionists, looking at her work is more like taking in a film at the cinema than staring at a sedentary 2-dimensional canvas.

Mary Pratt – Pratt is an icon of Canadian realism. Her paintings of everyday domestic life make you feel like you are in your grandmothers kitchen watching her work. Her hyperealist paintings of fruit are overflowing with juicy realism, ready for plucking and eating right off the canvas. An internationally-recognized Newfoundland-based Canadian artist, Pratt recently passed away at the age of 83. Canadian film maker Kenneth Harvey is currently working on a film about her. The way she captures the light in her paintings, it’s electric and brings feelings of being in my mother’s kitchen watching her bake while waiting patiently to lick the spoon. Pratt attended Mount Allison University, studying Fine Arts under Alex Colville, Ted Pulford, and Lawren P. Harris.

Myfanwy Pavelic – also hailing from my hometown of Victoria BC, Pavelic was known for her portraiture. Born in Victoria, British Columbia to an upper-class family, her first interests in fine art came after meeting with Emily Carr on Vancouver Island who later gave a brief series of instruction to Pavelic. I recall her portrait of Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, father of our current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. A copy of the award-winning portrait hangs in my Giclee print makers shop in Vancouver BC, Zhee Clay Fine Arts. The painting went on to be featured on a Canada Post postage stamp in 2000 after his passing. She was one of the few Canadian artists to be shown at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and her official portrait of Trudeau was unveiled in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa in 1985.

A remarkable group of women, from all walks of life, who painted from their distinctly Canadian perspective, they leave quite the legacy for those of us who are working to fill their shoes and lead the next generation of Canadian artists. Here are a few contemporary paintings created by a woman in Canadian Art.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

March 8, 2019