‘The Getaway’ – More Our Canada Magazine Cover Feature
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
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.