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A Canadian Christmas Painting

Making a Canadian Christmas Painting That Sums Up 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then some neon gouache colour blocking.

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

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

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

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley (#ironiccanuck)

December 1, 2020

What is Canadian Pop Art?

Canadian Pop Art

What is Canadian Pop Art? art made by a Canadian Artist that includes imagery from popular culture.

In order to explain what ‘Canadian Pop Art’ is, we must first look at what Pop Art is and when it began as a movement within the historical context of Art. The ‘Pop Art’ movement began in the United Kingdom and the United States (primarily NYC) during the mid to late 1950’s. The movement challenged the tradition’s of fine art by including imagery from popular or mass culture. This style of art often removed or isolated objects and material by placing them in new contexts and new environments. Most famously, the icon of the Pop Art movement in the US was NYC art star, Andy Warhol. Along with artists Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Robert Indiana and Jasper Johns, the movement exploded the art world and status quo.

famous Canadian pop art painting - Brandy Saturley

With Hearts On Our Sleeves – painting by Brandy Saturley 2017

What is Canadian Pop Art? well, take the pop art movements begun in the UK and the USA and add a maple leaf in front. Canadian Pop Art is artwork that is inspired by the Pop Art movement, that has taken on it’s own distinctive maple syrup flare and sassy commentary on stereotypical hockey loving Canada. Not to confuse this with ‘Canadian Pop Artists’ which are those of the musician kind, like Justin Bieber. Canada’s Pop Art is made up of visual artists who are painters, sculptors, printmakers and graphic artists.

Canadian Pop Art comes with biting humour and commentary about being Canadian, it blurs the boundaries between ‘high art’ and themes of mythology and classical history. Pop Art as painted by Canada’s pop artists elevates commonplace objects or everyday Canadian life, like Tim Horton’s Coffee or a toque, to the level of high art. Pop Art attracts the viewer with it’s commonplace objects and vivid palettes and asks the viewer to look more intently at everyday life in Canada.

Four paintings about Canada: snow, beer, hockey, and Tim Hortons

I met with another famous Canadian pop art painter, the ‘King of Canadian Pop Art’ when I flew out to for the Art Toronto annual art fair. Charles Pachter (now in his late 70’s) is undoubtedly Canada’s Andy Warhol and his legacy in and outside of the studio is no doubt ‘iconic’ in every sense of the word. Pachter graciously toured me around his home and shared his studio where I peeked into the inner workings of another famous self-representing Canadian artist.

Famous Canadian Pop Art painters: Brandy Saturley and Charles Pachter at the Moose Factory in Toronto

Developing my commentary on all things Canadian and adding my voice to the Pop Art landscapes of Canadian Art. Whitehot Magazine published this piece written by Andrea Bell, “In her most recent work, Saturley has turned once again to the landscape, never really having left. Her new, visionary paintings collage different, unexpected elements of Canadiana rendered in her characteristic pop aesthetic. They oscillate between a graphic realism used for Canada’s famous mountain peaks or views of forest lakes, and the abstractness of the colorful, even psychedelic backgrounds. The sincerity of their celebration keeps them from tripping over into kitsch. Instead they are otherworldly and transportive, playful and humorous.”

In the bigger sense, on some level, I am engaging everyone in the discussion and appreciation of Art in Canada, and the best way I know how is to poke a little fun at Canada, using our iconography and in turn creating my own brand of Pop Art made in Canada.

Sincerely Yours

Brandy Saturley (a.k.a #ICONICCANUCK)

November 20, 2020

What is a self-representing Artist?

Art Business

What is a self representing Artist? one with an entrepreneur attitude.

In the world of art, there are essentially two kinds of Artists; self-representing and gallery or dealer represented. So what is a self-representing artist? Quite simply, self-representing artist means time spent on the art making is equal to time spent “on the business”. A challenging juggling act for many artists, moving between artist brain and salesperson brain. I’m constantly thinking about where I can take my business and how I will get there. I am also continuously thinking about what I want to paint next, often times with a series of already painted works sitting in my frontal lobe waiting for excavation. Shifting between Artist brain and art sales brain, requires rigorous dedication and a tireless focus. That’s not to say I don’t get tired, or take a pause from my work, it means I am fully consumed by my work.

Inside the studio of Canadian artist Brandy Saturley

In every Art there are purists, those that hold fast to tradition and structure. When I began moving forward with my art, in a professional sense, I sought out the experienced, the Icons and the elders in the field of Canadian Art. Mentorship, connection and validation is what I was seeking, and I found it and learned much from these relationships. I met a lot of Artists and Gallery Owners who had established rules and guidelines for how Artists should be and what they needed to do to be successful. I found so many rigid structures within the Art business and amongst artists here in Canada, I moved from group to group learning about what made their way ‘better’. In the end what I discovered is I did not fit into any group or way of being, I was building my own path based on the knowledge I was gaining along the way. For me, rigid structures go against everything that Art represents, which is the freedom to paint the world the way I see it. There are many misconceptions out there about what makes an artist or art good or even valuable, more so in Canada.

So, lets tackle a few of these misconceptions about self-representing artists;

Self-representing artists aren’t good enough to be in a gallery.

WRONG: being represented by a commercial gallery in Canada does not mean the artist is any more skilled at making Art, it does mean that the artist follows and falls within a structure set by an association of dealers across Canada.

Artists should focus on making Art and not on business, they should focus on their expertise.

BOTH RIGHT AND WRONG: some artists are good at both, it comes down to experience, alternate skill-sets and enjoyment – I enjoy learning about both sides of the business and am driven by both aspects, the convergence of artist/entrepreneur, this is what invigorates my work.

Self-representing artists charge less, because their work is less valuable.

WRONG: as a starting point, artists should look at their market and price their art within the market. As the artist develops and expands their market, their prices are determined by market demand and a variety of others variables including press coverage, artist reach, recognition, cost of living, and fame.

Self-representing artists should concentrate on selling Art in their local market.

RIGHT and WRONG: for me, the focus from day one has always been to sell my art nationally and internationally. Since day one I have always been looking towards my end goal. I also focus on selling my art where it is loved and where people most respond to the work. I have established a fair bit of latitude with my Art, in that I don’t just focus on painting one thing. While I have branded myself as the ‘Voice of Canadian Pop Art’ and the ‘Iconic Canuck’ and am known for paintings influenced by the iconography of Canada, I am not hyper-focused on any one subject. For example, while I have painted ‘hockey goal tender masks’ that is not all I paint. This is my approach. Another approach may only be focusing on local and painting local scenes, which quickly establishes a local market for an artist. I think the biggest key in deciding what you can manage as a self-representing artist, is important. I have big audacious thoughts and dreams, I like to go big, which means if the idea doesn’t work, I fall hard. But I like the challenge. I remember going to an artist talk in Vancouver by Takashi Murakami, prior to the launch of his solo exhibition tour for ‘The Octopus Eats His Own Leg‘. He gave a masterclass of epic proportions of the challenges and pitfalls of self-representation and artist as entrepreneur. It helped me figure out where I wanted to land within the Art market.

One of the greatest challenges for a self-representing artist is finding buyers.

RIGHT: Unlike a gallery, where the buyers come to find art, a self-representing artist typically has to go to the buyers. No two sales are the same, and every sale must be approached differently. I have had collectors come to me from a myriad of ways, on and offline. Roughly 2% of my sales come from social media, the rest come from a combination of finding buyers, working with my suppliers, connecting with artists in other fields and with different skill-sets, and working my network of collectors. This year I am putting more focused time into developing my website and online sales than I have in the past 13 years. Certainly spurred on by COVID, but also because I am not on the road as much and therefore the focus on the business side has become even more concentrated. Thankfully all the travel and in person connecting of years past, is paying dividends in this time of isolation.

Brandy Saturley at opening of ‘Canadianisms’ in 2017 – Okotoks Art Gallery

So, this is what a self-representing artist is, one who works full-time at the career of Artist. While Art comes from a purely creative, abstract and fluid part of the brain, it’s wiring is similar in many ways to that of an entrepreneur, and it is a PROFESSION. I have always enjoyed this quote from a favorite portrait artist from NYC by the name of Chuck Close, “The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.”

Back to work!

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

November 20, 2020

Remembrance Day Painting 2020

Artist Process

Making a Remembrance Day Painting in The Pandemic Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can see more paintings celebrating Canada on my website.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

October 28, 2020

Quebec loves Brandy Saturley

Corporate Art Collections

Collected in Mont-Royal: Quebec Loves Paintings by Brandy Saturley

For a Canadian Artist, finding an audience among the numerous traditional landscape painters in Canada, is daunting. Quebec collectors love paintings by Brandy Saturley, where the artist has gained an audience, with many works in public and private collections in Mont-Royal and Montreal.

As a painter, to eschew the tradition of landscape painting in Canadian Art and create a new direction by confronting the enormity of the landscape, is a bold undertaking. This new direction means cultivating a new audience, through the creation of a new perspective on landscape painting in Canada. British Columbia based artist, Brandy Saturley, has been cultivating a new audience under the moniker, #iconiccanuck, a title which the artist created for an exhibition in 2013, which has now become a persona and brand of sorts for the work the artist has been producing for over a decade.

Referred to as ‘Pop Canadianisms’, the artist has sold work to provinces across Canada, and often without ever speaking in person or by phone, with her clients. As a full-time self representing artist, Saturley proudly talks about her journey to #iconiccanuck in a documentary film created in 2019.

Saturley is known for painting themes of hockey, along with her love for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club. Perhaps this is why she has gained a loyal following and many collectors in the Mount-Royal area of Quebec. Paintings collected by art collectors in Quebec include; iceberg landscapes, figurative landscapes, hockey landscapes and narrative paintings that celebrate Canadian popular culture, The Montreal Canadiens hockey club and the love of the ODR. (hockey played on the outdoor rink among friends)

Here are five paintings that have been collected by art collectors in Mount-Royal;

Enjoy these paintings? Discover more paintings to love and collect, from Brandy Saturley

September 24, 2020

Becoming An Artist

Inspiration

Becoming An Artist – Talking Art, Passion and Hockey

When does someone become an Artist? What drives the creation of a painting? How many hours are spent making Art? People are attracted to passion, and those who pursue their passions relentlessly, putting it all on the line. Talking with Canadian documentary filmmaker Randy Frykas, about becoming an Artist and the influence of hockey.

In October 2019, a few months before COVID-19 started changing how we navigate our worlds, I invited a Winnipeg filmmaker into my haven, my Art studio. As I stated in a blog post from 2018, art studios “are places typically reserved for artists to create, serious art collectors to view the work privately, and curators to visit and consider works for future art exhibitions.” After a few emails back and fourth, and a telephone conversation, I agreed to the visit and I also agreed to let the filmmaker ask questions without pre-screening. He came to learn and film and arrived with a professional audio engineer, James Humberstone, also originally hailing from Manitoba. I accepted their visit and interest purely on the portfolio Frykas produced when I began asking questions. There seemed to be a common ground in the topic of hockey and my paintings about hockey, so the focus became mostly these works from my oeuvre of the past decade. I had recently returned home from a month studying and making work at the Royal College of Art in London, England, and was in the process of making a new work, a large landscape on loose canvas.

Over the course of two separate days, Frykas asked questions and recorded digital video. Over the course of the coming months the team of The Passion Projects, led by director Frykas, began editing while flying to other locations to film with other talented people driven by their passions. With Frykas and Humberstone also creating their own soundtrack for each short documentary film produced for the project. This truly was becoming a collaborative effort, filled with passion and experience, bringing together film, editing, sound, music and visual art.

As this series began shooting before COVID hit, and was being developed as the filmmakers’ own passion project on the side while he is working full-time TV and freelance gigs, the series is developing organically and is quickly becoming a record of life and attitudes before, during and eventually post COVID.

I don’t invite many people into my studio, it really is my workplace, and a sacred place I go to escape into my work. I was moved by the enthusiasm exuding from the voice on the other end of the phone line, which was as palpable in person. Vulnerability is another important facet of making great Art, and those days we were filming, we were at our most vulnerable, and I am proud of the film that came from this experience.

Sincere thanks to Randy Frykas and James Humberstone, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley a.k.a #iconiccanuck

September 16, 2020

Tofino Is a Place for Artists

Inspiration

A truly West Coast experience, Tofino is a place for Artists.

When I break from the studio, I do so in search of adventure, and connection with nature. When I am looking to immerse myself in a truly west coast experience, the most ideal representation, can be found in Tofino. A place for Artists and art lovers alike.

Recently I escaped to this Vancouver Island surf town known for it’s long sandy beaches, great culinary experiences and rainforest surroundings. For an artist, the visual and aural stimuli sets your mind dreaming. Tofino comes with sounds of crashing waves, ravens, crows and eagles and a random rain storm tapping on your roof. For the very first time I was treated to an escape at The Wickanninish Inn. From top to bottom and inside out, every detail is distinctly west coast and thoughtfully executed. From the large cedar beams to the local art, which is plentiful throughout the resort, you are immersed in a finely crafted cultural experience. If you are a foodie, The Wick (which is how regulars refer to the resort) will set your taste-buds on a wild ride from which they may never recover. I suggest the tasting menu with BC wine pairing, after which you will really understand what makes Vancouver Island a province all it’s own.

A few photos from Tofino.

View from the room on the East wing of the Pointe building.

A glass of Taylor Fladgate Port and a Hudsons Bay Point Blanket by the fireplace with a view

A shower with a view – now feeling fully immersed

Down to Chesterman beach, chairs provided

The lines and the light – a painter and photographers delight!

Stretch and surf!

The job of the Artist, is to make you SEE. Mountains in the tide pools.

Until next time!

You can’t do Tofino without doing sunset at the Pier. Whether in Tofino or Maui, it is a ritual to honour the end of the day.

Symbolically Yours,

Brandy

August 31, 2020

Prairie Landscape Paintings

Landscapes

When the road delivers a story: prairie landscape paintings.

The road to Art is always ‘fluid’ and the nice thing about this job is it lends itself well to periods of isolation, it is a requirement! But I am used to getting out of the studio pretty regularly between paintings, to experience life in the raw and from new vantage points. Shaking up my perspective is important to my work and feeds my soul. I enjoy the aerial perspectives afforded from the window of a jet plane, but more still, I love riding passenger side in an automobile. These paintings of prairie landscapes were inspired by one such road trip. I love the feel of the road under the tires, I love the vistas whipping by my window at time-lapse speeds and I love the reflections off the shiny hood of my drivers car.

Last month when travel opened up again I had the opportunity to collaborate with a photographer from Manitoba, so I took off on my first flight. From Brandon, Manitoba to Victoria BC, we went on an 10 day journey of exploring the prairies to the sea, during COVID. It was mentally good to get out and see how other provinces were ‘doing COVID’ and it was mentally uplifting to inhale deeply in nature. From this trip came a number of photos and video that will continue to feed future paintings about Canada. For now, a start with this ‘Group of Four’ – four little landscapes (when I say little I mean smaller than my usual canvasses) The four paintings feature a distinct prairie palette rendered in custom mixed colours ranging from Big Sky Blue, to Canola Yellow, Barn Red and Glacial Lake Teal. Here are a Group of Four landscape paintings, taken straight from the road across western Canada.

Prairie Flight – this painting comes from an evening, on a dirt road that ran between two crop fields near Brandon, Manitoba.

The Barn – spotted from the highway, this barn and surrounding fields were so vivid that they begged for further investigation in rural Saskatchewan

The Lake – the iconic view from the cliff-side outside the Prince of Wales hotel in Waterton Lakes, Alberta

A Long and Winding Road – the road to Red Rocks in Waterton Lakes affords the road tripper wondrous views from roadside wildflowers to rocky mountains

The painting takes place in my studio, but the journey began with my camera and the road.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

August 28, 2020

The Creative Process

Artist Process

I am living in a constant state of awareness; the creative process.

I live in a constant state of ‘buzz’ and my brain is always working. For me a road trip, a hike or a walk out to my garden, produces endless hours of thought, inception of new ideas, and experimentation; which will result in production of new paintings. What electrifies my brain today, may produce something immediate or something many years down the line. The gathering of stimuli; aurally, visually and manually is cataloged away in my brain and on my computer hard drive for future excavation. It may be a simple as a trip to the grocery store, or time spent washing dishes, but never doubt that I am working. Often I feel like I am living in a constant state of visual orgasm, a marathon of the mind. I am in a committed long term relationship with my work, and she gets jealous when I leave her to take care of everyday life. The creative process behind making a painting, begins long before my brush hits the canvas.

Recently I took my mistress on the road through the prairies of western Canada. My Nikon D810 and my iPhone by my side; we were recording, experimenting and capturing future food for my paintings. This is my artist process, this is my work, behind the work, of being an Artist.

With neon yellow canola, hues of flax and sky blue, early wheat and soybean green and old barn or rusty engine red, these photos provide the food to feed future paintings.

#GOWESTROADTRIP2020 – my vision of the prairies.

Part I of this road trip is available to view and license on 500px here.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

July 28, 2020

13 Years Making Art

The Year in Art

13 Years Making Art as a Professional Canadian Artist.

It is true that in some cultures, the number 13 is lucky. Last year I entered my 13th year of making Art and working as a professional Canadian Artist, full-time. July 1st every year, which coincidentally is Canada Day, always marks the anniversary of my Art business. Every year, I write a new blog post celebrating the day and reflecting on the year that was. Last year I gave each year a ‘period or theme’ to represent the year. From paintings of trees to Las Vegas and The Beatles to the Big C, there have been many thematic transitions in my work over the years. Year 5 marked the beginning of #ICONICCANUCK and shortly after my ‘Pop Canadianisms’ took over right up until year 13. Consistency found in the theme of ‘Canada’ and in year 13, I decided to ‘disrupt’ my practice to grow as an artist by jetting off to London for a month, a big gamble for an artist who has developed an identity as ‘the Voice of Canadian Pop Art’.

As we are now in the COVID-19 era, I am even more convinced that year 13 was indeed lucky, because if it happened this year, it would not have happened. Year 13 included an invitation to join the summer contemporary art intensive at the world’s number one postgraduate art school, the Royal College of Art in London, England – I spent a month making art, talking art and showing art in a school that includes alumnus such as David Hockney and Tracey Emin, two of the biggest artist names in the world, and one of the oldest art institutions. It was an EPIC experience and am so grateful to all the artists, educators and art lovers who helped make it one of the most enriching experiences of my career, so far. Wow, I am still basking in the warm glow of that experience. Rather than recap the past 13 years, this year I want to recap the past 12 months, because these last few have been LONGGGG, so here we go!

Here are, twelve images for 12 months of my 13th year as a full-time professional Canadian Artist.

July 2019 – The Pack and Tidy

Tidying up studio before leaving for London.

August 2019 – The London Studio

Brandy Saturley in painting studios at RCA Battersea London, UK and final exhibition at the Dyson Gallery.

September 2019 – Blending New Concepts with Existing Projects

Brandy Saturley painting on large landscapes un-stretched cotton duck canvas in her Victoria BC Studio

October 2019: Documentary – The Iconic Canuck

Brandy Saturley talking with Winnipeg filmmaker Randy Frykas, in her North Saanich studio.

November 2019 – painting REALLY BIG Landscapes

December 2019 – Christmas Catalgoue

Annual Christmas catalogue mailed out to collectors.

January 2020 – People of Canada

Portrait painting by Brandy Saturley for the People of Canada Portrait series.

February 2020 – Different Strokes

New painting technique post London is developing in a new landscape painting.

March 2020 – Print Run

20 paintings offered as digital reproduction prints on paper for 2020.

April 2020 – First Virtual Exhibition

First exhibition of Mountain Forms Collective – collaborative mountain paintings by Brandy Saturley & Gisa Mayer.

May 2020 – Second Virtual Exhibition & Underwater

First Exhibition of The People of Canada Portrait Project by Brandy Saturley – collaboration with everyday Canadians across the country.

Pipe burst in my studio and the restoration crew had to be called in during a pandemic!

June 2020 – A Modern Romance

With my studio temporarily moved to a small bedroom, my work began to focus on the romance of the small apartment studio as it brought back memories from my early days painting and living in my 600 SqFt condo. Always keep your old easel!

July 2020 – Third Virtual Exhibition – The BIG ONE

With Canada Day in the air and a new painting inspired by the need for HUGS across the country, I opened my third virtual exhibition experience, this time featuring 51 paintings from the past decade of painting Pop Canadianisms.

It has been quite the year! ‘before times’ is a term that is quickly identifying a different time in or culture, as things start to open up here again in Canada I am excited to be going out on the road, haven’t left the island since the end of February and this time I will be driving through Saskatchewan, a prairie province I have never visited.

Right now the focus is to keep on making Art, making paintings, selling paintings, showing art, re-building my studio and maybe even finding an art advisor, dealer or salesperson that loves my Art and shares my values. For me it is important to keep on investing in myself. I have been doing it all for 13 years and I could use an art advisor on my side, the right gallery in my corner or perhaps simply a sales person to help push the work out further than I have already done on my own.

Be well out there and keep on pushing forward.

Sincerely Yours,

Brandy Saturley

July 2, 2020