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More Our Canada Magazine

‘The Getaway’ – More Our Canada Magazine Cover Feature

Originally published on June 29, 2017

Last year for Canada Day I was exploring beautiful Yellowknife and soaking up all this Northern City has to offer. This year I am paying it forward with an article I wrote for More Our Canada Magazine, ‘To Yellowknife, With Love’. I found out a few weeks ago that one of my paintings inspired by this trip would be featured on the cover of the July issue, ‘The Getaway’ features a sled dog, the houseboats on back bay and a canoe adventure I enjoyed while exploring. The painting encompasses all that I experienced and feel about the trip, it speaks to freedom and living an authentic life. read the article now

More Our Canada Cover

Painting by Brandy Saturley on the cover of More Our Canada Magazine

 

 

In 2016, I spent the year travelling across Canada and into the Northern Territories. The purpose of my exploration was to absorb and interact with Canadians and cultures across the country as I built reference material for a body of work inspired by authentic ‘Canadian’ experiences, which would become known as my ‘Pop Canadianisms’. These ‘Pop Canadianisms’ were presented in touring solo shows of my work in 2017. While travelling to and exploring these communities I was welcomed by artists in each area. I spent many days touring and learning about their communities. Time spent hiking, sketching, photographing and writing.
The Getaway – This piece was inspired by my time in Yellowknife, NWT in 2016. My journey through the Canadian landscape has taken me to many large cities and rural communities over the past couple of years in preparation for touring exhibitions of my paintings inspired by Canada this year, coinciding with the Canada 150 celebrations. One year ago, on Canada Day 2016, I had the opportunity to celebrate in Canada’s North, on the edge of the Arctic Circle. I spent Canada Day week in Yellowknife on an epic journey in the land where the sun and the people never sleep. The husky dog was part of a team I met during my visit, the piece speaks to the wild and independent spirit of Canada’s North. My six days on the edge of the Arctic Circle, where helping your neighbour really is the first order of business, and the only way to survive in this land of extreme weather and extreme living. This experience inspired many a painting when I returned home to my studio on Vancouver Island. These people have heart and grit and talent beyond whatever expectations I had going in.

Canada Inspires

Canada Inspires West Coast Artist – Brandy Saturley talks with the Okotoks Western Wheel

In 2017, Canada inspires West Coast artist Brandy Saturley with tour of an art exhibition inspired by her travels across Canada. The artist talks with the Okotoks Western Wheel about her exhibition; ‘Canadianisms: A Half Decade Inspired by Canada’ – at the Okotoks Art Gallery near Calgary, Alberta. The show which began 2017 in Sherwood Park, just outside of Edmonton, made it’s way across the province to a town just outside of Calgary, known as Okotoks. This travelling art show includes hand painted art shipping crates, central to the show, which carries 30 paintings, illustrating stories of Canada.

Read the full interview.

Canada Inspires

 

 

Canada inspires
These paintings tell visual stories; encompassing themes related to Canadian popular culture, symbolism, people, nature and the landscapes of Canada. Saturley’s paintings not only have a sense of humour, but also reference famous works of art. Her vibrant Canadian art collection boasts archetypal landscapes, Tim Hortons cups and Canadian icons like Gord Downie and a hockey stick-holding Shania Twain. One painting depicts a Mi’kmaq performer and RCMP officer at the Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary; another portrays a Canadian veteran poised above a field of red poppies. One piece portrays a couple standing outside the Montreal Forum, posed in the style of Grant Wood’s 1930 painting American Gothic.

Painting Portraits of Canadians

Painting Portraits of Canadians – talking to Christa Couture for CBC Arts

In 2011, I began a journey, that became a collaborative Canadian Portrait Project. It started with an experience during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, that caused me to reflect on what it means to be a Canadian. From this a series of paintings emerged, the project became known as #ICONICCANUCK. These paintings extended my connections with people, I found myself painting athletes for Canadian Tire Jumpstart in Toronto and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary. This is how I began painting portraits of Canadians.

painting portraits of Canadians

These events allowed me to interact with more people, from all corners of Canada and continue the discussion. My journey then led to a solo showing of these paintings in Edmonton in December 2013. In 2014, I launched a parallel project inspired by the conversations I was having with Canadians, the project became known as ‘The People of Canada Portrait Project’ , in which Canadians submit their best Canadian ‘selfie’ and I paint their portrait. Fast forward to 2016; the photos keep coming in and my journey across the Canadian landscape continues. This year I connected with people on the ground in Yellowknife, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Torono, Montreal and Ottawa. Through these experiences I had even more discussion and it is the people I met, in person and on-line, who set me on a deeper journey questioning, who are the People of Canada? Whether born, immigrated to, or ex-patriot, I want to know you, the People of Canada.

Painting portraits of Canadians

In November I received an email from singer, songwriter, and storyteller, Christa Couture, (Associate Producer for CBC Canada 2017) and the result is this lovely article, shining a light on the project. “Enticed by the power of portraiture, Saturley wants to explore and showcase the rich diversity of Canadians through focusing on the relationships we have. When choosing which photo submissions to turn into paintings, she asks the subjects a series of questions.” READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Brandy Saturley CBC

See more paintings by Canadian Pop Art Style painter Brandy Saturley.