A Visual Storyteller – Canadian Artist Brandy Saturley
Canadian Visual Artist Brandy Saturley is a visual storyteller, and pop modernism style painter.
Artist Statement: I am obsessed with the iconography of Canada, and in turn I am creating my own.
Initially the work I became known for drew inspiration from “popular culture” and stereotypes, but as time passed, I became increasingly interested in gaining a genuine understanding of the collective Canadian consciousness. To achieve this, I set out on a journey of exploration, traveling extensively and immersing myself in the local culture. By returning home to Vancouver Island, I gained a deeper appreciation of my own upbringing and cultural background. My artistic practice revolves around acrylic and oil painting on canvas, although over the years, I have incorporated other mediums such as collage, photography, writing, and video. My paintings explore themes related to Canadian popular culture, symbolism, and landscapes, portrayed with vivid palettes and rendered in my distinctive pop modernism style. While some describe me as a visual storyteller, others suggest that my work invites viewers to create their own stories. To me, art serves as a conduit for appreciating life more profoundly, and I believe that it simply exists, without the need for understanding or labels. Each viewer brings their own unique experiences and perspectives when engaging with a work of art, which can often trigger memories. When an art lover connects with my work, a gift is both given and received.
CARFAC Alberta Gallery A: #ICONICCANUCK by Brandy Saturley, 2013
SHORT BIO: Brandy Saturley is a Victoria BC artist who has exhibited various bodies of work across Canada, including solo exhibitions in Alberta ‘#ICONICCANUCK’ and ‘Canadianisms: A Half Decade Inspired by Canada’. An acclaimed Canadian Artist, she is the recipient of numerous awards including a Fleck Fellowship from the Banff Centre for the Arts and a private invitation only residency from the Pouch Cove Foundation in Newfoundland, Canada. In 2017, ‘The Canadian Art Junkie’ named her number 30/150 for Canadian Artists for Canada 150. Her work was the subject of the 2019 documentary film, ‘The Iconic Canuck’, by Winnipeg documentary filmmaker, Randy Frykas. In 2024, Brandy Saturley was elected to the Society of Canadian Artists’ in Toronto, Ontario and she received a Certificate of Artistic Merit from the Luxembourg Art Prize. In 2025, Saturley will present a solo exhibition of her Newfoundland series of paintings along with the launch of her first book at James Baird Gallery in Newfoundland.
Strathcona County, Gallery @501 – solo exhibition Canadianisms: A Half Decade Inspired by Canada, January 2017 – Brandy Saturley
The Artworks of Brandy Saturley have been featured in numerous publications, websites and blogs including; CBC Arts, Forbes, Our Canada, More Our Canada, Whitehot Magazine NYC, Hart House Review, Okotoks Western Wheel , Whistler Traveller Magazine, Sherwood Park News, Canmore Leader News, Sportsnet, and in many Canadian blogs including AllHabs Magazine, Canadian Art Junkie, Puckstruck, Dennis-Kane.com, Independent Sports News, Curry’s Canada, Life As Human, and a Portrait of the Visual Arts in Canada. Saturley’s self-published works and portfolio are on file with ARTEXTE in Montreal, and the National Gallery of Canada Library and Archives.
Okotoks Art Gallery, Canadianisms: A Half Decade Painting Canada, July 2017 – Brandy Saturley
British Columbia born and West Coast raised, the Vancouver Island artist spends time traveling across Canada, her home and studio have always remained in Greater Victoria, Canada. The artist openly shares her studio process, art travel and road trips, exhibition news, and new painting releases on her Instagram page daily. You can follow Brandy Saturley on Instagram.
Brandy Saturley at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, 2022
Critical Comments
“Confronting the enormity of the landscape has become a crucial aspect in Canadian identity, and a thread that is woven throughout Saturley’s work. ~ Andrea Bell
“Saturley’s paintings not only have a sense of humour, but also reference famous works of art. The artworks found in Canadianisms: A Half Decade Inspired by Canada, create an open dialogue of what it means to be Canadian. They are informed by our iconography, our passion, our humour, our tolerance and kindness.” Brenda Barry Byrne
The series, People of Canada, isn’t your traditional set of portraits. Saturley has asked Canadian “couples” to send her “their best photos of themselves as citizens of Canada.” She makes selections from the submitted selfies and transposes them onto iconic Canadian scenery. Christa Couture CBC Canada2017
Vancouver Island’s ‘Iconic Canuck’ paints portrayal of COVID-19. Artist shifted focus to inner world as pandemic changed Canadian cultural landscape. ~ Nina Grossman
Canadian Artists/Canada150 – 30/150: Brandy Saturley – Canadian Symbols ~ The Canadian Art Junkie
______________________________________________
ANDREA BELL is an art historian, critic and writer. Based in New York City.
BRENDA BARRY BYRNE is a Canadian Art Curator. She holds an MFA and BFA.
CHRISTA COUTURE is an award-winning performing and recording artist, non-fiction writer, broadcaster, and cyborg. She is also proudly Indigenous (mixed Cree and Scandinavian), queer, and a mom.
NINA GROSSMAN is a multi-media reporter and journalist.
The Canadian Art Junkie, JOAN WALTERS is a journalist, traveler and art & music lover.
Brandy Saturley at Pouch Cove Foundation, 2023