This contemporary wall sculpture is a series of three masks forged from metal.

Dale Dunning is highly regarded for his superb craftsmanship in creating sculptures of exceptional quality and detail. The Canadian artist is perhaps best known for his inspired use of the human head/face as a metaphor for human experience. This series of three masks (a triptych) are made from narrow strips of aluminum that have been skillfully shaped to resemble the contours of a face.
The industrial-inspired wrapped faces also reflect a romantic sensibility recalling the Gothic literature of Mary Shelley or the historical novels of Alexandre Dumas.

“The thing I like about the head is it sort of encompasses what we are. We live in our heads…I use the head as a container to suggest what’s percolating underneath.” Dale Dunning

“Dale Dunning is an exceptionally versatile artist. He has mastered techniques in bronze, aluminum, steel, and glass over four decades of relentless creativity.”
Sanjeev Sivarulasa, Curator Sivarulrasa Gallery

Dale Dunning holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. While earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Mt. Allison University, Dunning studied under Lawren P. Harris (son of Group of Seven member Lawren S. Harris) and George Tiessen. Dunning has exhibited across Canada and his work is held in private, corporate, and public collections including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, the McIntosh Gallery at Western University, the Carleton University Art Collection, and the National Library of Canada.

Lauded for his ethereal and romantic landscapes, Peter Hoffer has created a unique body of work that focuses on individual portraits of trees. In this mixed media on panel, a single tree resplendent with soft pink blossoms stands center frame against a backdrop of a turquoise blue sky and the rich brown of the earth. Hoffer has revived traditional techniques of layering varnish popular in the 19th century. The addition of markings and drippings adds remarkable texture and character to each painting. The effect is thoroughly modern.

“I wanted to do the landscape in a manner in which it is personified. Where the tree becomes the individual, even playing on some clichés." Peter Hoffer

Peter Hoffer holds an MFA from Concordia University and degrees from the University of Guelph and OCAD University. Hoffer has lived and worked in Toronto, New York City, Paris, Montreal, and Berlin. He has exhibited widely at art fairs in Basel, Toronto, New York, Stockholm, London, Milan, Amsterdam and Hong Kong. His paintings are held in many private, corporate, and public collections around the world.

This contemporary abstract painting inspired by nature is by Pat Service.

The allure of the open road has long been a favorite subject for this Canadian artist. And with that artist’s eye, she has re-imagined the view she held while driving through the rocky mountains. Renowned for her beautiful landscapes, Service has pared down details to the essentials in this striking minimalist series of mountain landscapes.
The form mimics rolling hills, expressed in a rich complex palette of colors—dark and mint green, coral red, bright yellow, and brown in this piece. Service applied layer upon layer of thin paint to achieve this lush effect rather than mixing the colors together and applying them in one application.

“As I moved quickly along the highway, visions of what I saw out of the corner of my eye would come and go. The mountain becomes stretched out, and whatever else is there, a field, a parkway, and a foreground is simplified by the speed.” Pat Service

“At the core of Service’s work is a deep attention to the medium of paint and also to the effects of lines and other marks.” Beverly Cramp, arts writer/author

Pat Service acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C. and later studied art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Service’s work is held in private collections in North America, Britain, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Pat Service is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

The allure of the open road has long been a favourite subject for this Canadian artist. And with that artist’s eye she has re-imagined the view she held while driving through the rocky mountains. Renowned for her beautiful landscapes, Service has pared down details to the essentials in this striking minimalist series of mountain landscapes.
The form mimics rolling hills, expressed in a rich complex palette of colors—deep blue, alabaster, gold and green in this piece. Service applied layer upon layer of thin paint to achieve this lush effect rather than mixing the colors together and applying them in one application.

“As I moved quickly along the highway, visions of what I saw out of the corner of my eye would come and go. The mountain becomes stretched out, and whatever else is there, a field, a parkway, and a foreground is simplified by the speed.” Pat Service

“At the core of Service’s work is a deep attention to the medium of paint and also to the effects of lines and other marks.” Beverly Cramp, arts writer/author

Pat Service acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C. and later studied art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Service’s work is held in private collections in North America, Britain, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Pat Service is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

Hand-blown glass in a stunning deep ocean blue is formed into three elegant arcs to create this contemporary wall sculpture by John Paul Robinson. The Canadian artist’s ethereal work: these coloured and light-filled polished glass tubes highlight the dual nature of light as both a particle and a wave. In physics, the wave nature of light is referred to as a "probability wave. This series is an abstract representation of an experiment with light that was first run over 100 years ago.

“The Probability Deep Blue pieces represent the different waves, radio, gravitational, visible light, and infrared that fill the space around us…. After travelling for billions of years through the unimaginable distances of deep space these waves have managed to hit our little planet.” John Paul Robinson

Robinson was educated at the Georgian College of Arts and Technology and the Ontario College of Art where he later taught for several years His works are in corporate, private and public collections throughout North America.

Robinson is represented exclusively by Oeno Gallery.

The walrus, an impressively large Arctic animal dominates the canvas in this expressive abstract painting by Rick Rivet. The Metis artist has acquired an international reputation for his contemporary artwork which often offers a poetic, spiritual and historically relevant view of indigenous and Western cultures. In this piece, the walrus viewed in Shamanic traditions as a spiritual animal and one central to survival in the north, floats in a deep blue sky. The horizon line is red and symbolizes the current growing threat of pollution; the green landscape that grounds the painting is marked with white lines…journeys (or disastrous policies) that appear to go nowhere. Rivet’s signatory style is accentuated by curated markings and paint drippings. The colour palette is rich and warm--chocolate brown, deep blue, red, and green highlighted by white. Ultimately, the message inherent in this painting is one of hope as implied by the glowing sun in a clear blue Arctic sky. One of a series.

"When I was growing up in the North, I thought that animals were no less important than other life forms in the cosmos." Rick Rivet

Richard James Rivet was born in Aklavik in the Northwest Territories to a Metis family. He grew up on the land and his family lived by trapping, hunting and fishing. Rivet has four degrees from three universities. He completed his MFA at the U. of Saskatchewan in 1989 and began creating art full-time. Rivet has been the recipient of more than twenty awards, scholarships and bursaries including a Fellowship from the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, and the Andy Warhol Foundation Fellowship Residency Program for the Heard Museum in Phoenix. His work is held in private, corporate, and public collections in Canada and the US.

This contemporary ceramic vessel was inspired by nature and rendered in black.

As a masterful ceramicist, Loren Kaplan has been intrigued by the concept of containers; the idea that an empty form or vessel can be filled and represents potential. Over the years she has created variations of the form of a poppy seed capsule as part of her exploration of the idea of ‘space.’
This natural form has a floral petal-like open top that sits on an attractive bulb shape. It is handmade from black clay, and the surfaces are highly textured—both coarse and smooth. It is one of a series.

“The opium poppy, among many other things, has been seen as a symbol of transcendence, a way to push and break down the barriers we build. It has been used ritualistically and recreationally to exceed the limits of our realities.” Loren Kaplan

Loren Kaplan earned a BFA from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and studied at the Kim Sacks School of Ceramics. In 1995 she established a studio and began a teaching career with the Visual Arts and Crafts Academy in Johannesburg. Kaplan has exhibited regularly in South Africa, Canada, and the US and has received numerous awards. Her work is held in many private collections including the South African Constitutional Court Art Collection.

This contemporary ceramic vessel was inspired by nature and rendered in black.

As a masterful ceramicist, Loren Kaplan has been intrigued by the concept of containers; the idea that an empty form or vessel can be filled and represents potential. Over the years she has created variations of the form of a poppy seed capsule as part of her exploration of the idea of ‘space.’
This natural form has a floral petal-like closed top that sits on an attractive bulb shape. It is handmade from black clay—the surfaces are highly textured—both coarse and smooth. One of a series.

“The opium poppy, among many other things, has been seen as a symbol of transcendence, a way to push and break down the barriers we build. It has been used ritualistically and recreationally to exceed the limits of our realities.” Loren Kaplan

Loren Kaplan earned a BFA from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and studied at the Kim Sacks School of Ceramics. In 1995 she established a studio and began a teaching career with the Visual Arts and Crafts Academy in Johannesburg. Kaplan has exhibited regularly in South Africa, Canada, and the US and has received numerous awards. Her work is held in many private collections including the South African Constitutional Court Art Collection.

This contemporary ceramic vessel was inspired by nature and rendered in black.

As a masterful ceramicist, Loren Kaplan has been intrigued by the concept of containers; the idea that an empty form or vessel can be filled and represents potential. Over the years she has created variations of the form of a poppy seed capsule as part of her exploration of the idea of ‘space.’
This natural form has a floral petal-like open top that sits on an attractive bulb shape. It is handmade from black clay—the surfaces are highly textured—both coarse and smooth. One of a series.

“The opium poppy, among many other things, has been seen as a symbol of transcendence, a way to push and break down the barriers we build. It has been used ritualistically and recreationally to exceed the limits of our realities." Loren Kaplan

Loren Kaplan earned a BFA from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and studied at the Kim Sacks School of Ceramics. In 1995 she established a studio and began a teaching career with the Visual Arts and Crafts Academy in Johannesburg. Kaplan has exhibited regularly in South Africa, Canada, and the US and has received numerous awards. Her work is held in many private collections including the South African Constitutional Court Art Collection.

A tangle of colour—dazzling, as if lit from within flows across the canvas in this abstract painting by Adam Cohen. The New York based artist creates work alive with the grand gestural influences of the abstract expressionists’ generation. This piece reprises his signature generous brush strokes and bold palette—blues, greens, pinks, red, orange, yellow, purple, white and black jump from the canvas.

“You can look at them and keep seeing new things in them. They’re alive and they have this inexhaustible quality.” Adam Cohen

He acquired a BFA at Philadelphia’s Tyler School of Art and lived and painted in Rome for a year. After many successful years as an illustrator, he returned to his first love--painting. Adam Cohen lives and paints in the Catskills, NY. He has exhibited extensively in the US, Europe, Asia and most recently in Amsterdam and Venice.

This contemporary minimalist painting of a landscape is by a Canadian artist.

Aron Hill’s distinctive approach to landscape painting is to create a bold statement with clean, simple forms and a fresh, modern color palette.
This piece in acrylic and ink features a series of dynamic shapes including a dark blue sphere in the center frame and a dark brown curved shape under a tomato red ‘sky’. Two additional organic shapes in black and white anchor the base of the painting. Hill counts the famed modernist Jack Bush among their earliest influences.

“These paintings use the recurring theme of rocks as both land markers and altars set against a seemingly empty space or landscape.” Aron Hill

Aron Hill obtained a BFA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Alberta College of Art and Design and an MFA from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2006. They have exhibited across Canada and in Dubai. Hill’s work is held in private and corporate collections.

This contemporary abstract painting has a golden color palette.

Layers of reflective gold, burnished brown and black descend like a curtain over a pool of lilac in this rich painting. Two horizontal brush strokes in sea blue mark a horizon like a word of calm. A strip of light green defines the foot of the work, thus completing the poetic narrative. This work is created using many thin layers of acrylic gel and interference paint. The colors shift as the viewer moves around the painting. The gel medium creates a lively surface. The delightful result is a painting that shimmers and shines, with rich hues of copper, deep indigo, pale green and blue. Alice Teichert is known for bold colors and layered transparencies interspersed with script-like line drawings.

“My work has a lot of energy. Colour is a form of frequency to me. Colour is a form of music.” Alice Teichert

Alice Teichert is a multidisciplinary artist, and all disciplines inform her visual poetry. Born in Paris and raised in Europe, Teichert studied music, philosophy, visual poetry, visual arts and printmaking in Belgium and France. Her interest in abstract painting led her to pursue studies in New York and then Toronto, where she settled in 1984. Since 1989, Alice has built an international career with over 30 solo exhibitions of her work in France, Canada, Switzerland and Australia. Teichert’s paintings are held in many public, corporate and private collections worldwide.

A darkening sky is illuminated by the eclipsed view of a bold deep blue moon in this contemplative piece by Otto Rogers. He was seen as a ‘big attack painter’ by the renowned art critic Clement Greenberg. As one of Canada’s preeminent modernist artists, Rogers found inspiration in both his deep faith as a Baha’i and the beauty of nature so often reflected in his stunning work. This is an unframed giclée print so it’s pigment-based inks will not fade. Beautifully printed in an edition of 20.

“Art reflects the nature of the human condition, soul, intellect and mind.” Otto Rogers

He acquired his MA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin and later taught at the University of Saskatchewan for almost 30 years. He also participated in the Emma Lake Workshops in BC which attracted some of North America’s finest artists. Rogers’ work is held in more than 30 public collections including: the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

This contemporary cubist painting is by the highly regarded Canadian artist Otto Rogers.

A prominent Canadian artist celebrated for his own distinctive brand of contemporary artwork; the prairie-born Otto Rogers was drawn to the cubist-constructivist tradition of painting. This is a fine example of that genre—abstract shapes against an expressive slate gray background.
The palette—deep blue, black, a touch of yellow, and white aligns with the contemplative, almost spiritual quality of this painting. The recognized art critic, Clement Greenberg was early to praise Roger’s talent as a ‘big attack painter’ and described his work as “having a fullness of inspiration.’ A devout follower of the Baha’i faith, Rogers did not view art as simply a ‘decorative thing.’

“Art is a means of elevating consciousness and can reflect attributes of the soul.” Otto Rogers

Otto Rogers (1935-2019) acquired his MA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin and later taught at the University of Saskatchewan for 29 years. He also participated in the Emma Lake Workshops in BC which attracted some of North America’s finest artists. Rogers’ works—mixed media, paintings, and sculptures are held privately and publicly in more than 30 collections including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museu d'art Contemporain de Barcelona, and the National Gallery of Iceland. In 2007, a published book of his work Otto Donald Rogers, included a foreword by British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro.

A black silhouette of an abstracted tree planted at the centre of the picture plane is framed by passages of pale green, pale blue and cast light in white and tan in this acrylic painting on canvas.

Rogers work, rooted in a cubist-constructivist tradition, was recognized by art critic Clement Greenberg in 1963 as having a "fullness of inspiration". In keeping with this sentiment, Rogers' tonal expression in this piece is contemplative, spiritual and uplifting. Rogers is a prominent Canadian artist whose paintings, mixed media and sculptures are included in more than 30 public collections across Canada, including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the McMichael Canadian Collection, the National Gallery of Canada. His work is also in the Museu d'art contemporain de Barcelona and the National Gallery of Iceland as well as numerous private and corporate collections.

Rogers helped sustain the Emma Lake Workshops which provides a meeting place for many of North America's most respected visual artists and critics including Clement Greenberg, Barnett Newman, Jules Olitiski, Kenneth Noland, Jack Shadbolt, Helen Frankenthaler. In 2007, a published book of his work Otto Donald Rogers, included a foreword by British sculptor Sir Anthony Caro.

This contemporary abstract painting was inspired by music and a composition called night.

The distinctive luminous visual poetry of Alice Teichert is inspired by a rich background in music, graphic art, and literature. This expressive abstract painting is a symphony of calligraphic markings in white, gold, and cerise in a cloud formation that floats on an indigo background. A border along the base of the painting in gold and hot pink anchors the work. Teichert uses layer upon layer of translucent acrylic pigment to achieve remarkable depth. The title, Nocturne (French for nocturnal or night) references a musical composition that is evocative of the night. The gilded cloud in this artwork appears to be holographic and glowing in the night sky.

“The beauty of the ‘wordless’…colour and form, it’s not decoration, it’s more powerful than that.” Alice Teichert

Alice Teichert was born in Paris, France in 1959. She studied music, philosophy, and visual arts in Belgium and France. Since 1989, she has built an international career with over 30 solo exhibitions in Germany, France, NY, Canada, Switzerland, and Australia. Teichert’s paintings are held in many private, corporate, and public collections worldwide.

This contemporary wall composition is made from ceramic; the form is a vessel.

The distinctive handmade clay wall compositions of Heather Allen Hietala are designed to represent life’s journey. Using natural, earth-colored clay, the American artist has created canoe-like shapes—five in all, each one with its own design. Mounted on the wall the grouping forms a dynamic sculptural display. Hietala uses onion bags to add the textured netting effect on the exterior of the vessels, and recycled glass in others in a deep ocean blue. Each vessel has its own finely detailed paddle made of metal viewed as ‘instruments of motion.’

“How do we express ourselves when we feel caught between worlds, both familiar and unfamiliar? What compels us to grow, to leap? Mixed media artwork helps me explore and express these questions from a variety of angles.” Heather Allen Hietala

Heather Allen Hietala studied painting and sculpture at the University of New Hampshire and textiles at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Hietala furthered her studies at Penland School of Crafts, Haystack, and Arrowmont in the US. Her work has been shown in Canada, the US, France, and Singapore, and is held in collections worldwide. She has also taught and lectured in the US, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Nepal.

This romantic portrait of a young woman is by Canadian artist Mel Davis.
The Canadian artist has developed a unique visual style that is reminiscent of the French masters of the last century. The young woman’s hair is styled in a loose chignon and her bare neck is framed by her dress.
She’s looking out towards a shadowy landscape. The soft, muted colours—gray, black, and brown enhance the old-world feel of this piece.

“(I want to) respect the tradition of painting, to be in close proximity to nature, specifically light, (create) a sense of both mystery and revelation, accuracy and spontaneity.” Mel Davis

Mel Davis was born in Montreal and graduated from Concordia University with a BFA in 1998. A short study trip at the Slade School of Art in London was followed by a move to California where she acquired her MFA at the San Francisco Institute of Art. Her work has won numerous awards including the Conseil des Arts et Lettres du Québec, The Canada Council for the Arts, and the Pollock Krasner Foundation Award. Davis’s work has been shown in both solo and group shows in Canada and the U.S.

This contemporary wall sculpture is a mask forged from metal adorned with the wings of a bird.

Dale Dunning’s superbly crafted and imaginative sculptures often embrace universal themes. The Canadian sculptor’s choice of form—a head is viewed as a metaphor for humankind. This impressive mask is made from small pieces of bronze-colored metal typeset, (the letters, symbols, and glyphs that make up the printed word) formed into the shape of a human face. The ‘eyes’ of the mask are adorned with a cast taken from the wings of a large bird, the fine detail of the feathers remarkably preserved and forged in aluminum. Wings are often used to symbolize freedom; the idea of perception refers to ‘how we see and understand the world.’ The artwork’s title suggests that human perception can ‘take flight and break free from limitations.’ This is the Artist’s Proof.

“When it comes to writing about my work I experience a certain reluctance. Words tend to define and nail down ideas and to quote Nietzsche's words make the uncommon common.” Dale Dunning

Dale Dunning holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. While earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Mt. Allison University, Dunning studied under Lawren P. Harris (son of Group of Seven member Lawren S. Harris) and George Tiessen. Dunning has exhibited across Canada and his work is held in private, corporate, and public collections including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, the McIntosh Gallery at Western University, the Carleton University Art Collection, and the National Library of Canada.

This abstract ceramic indoor sculpture was inspired by nature.

The enigmatic and compelling ceramics by Canadian artist Jana Osterman are influenced in form, pattern, texture, and colour by the natural world. This bodacious sculpture is reminiscent of a shell with its organic rounded shape, swirling rhythmic pattern, and unglazed textured white surface. Osterman, highly regarded for her masterful, intuitive and imaginative sense of form creates abstract biomorphic shapes that are handbuilt and carved. She worked for years as a professional artistic fabricator; an experience that ‘grounded her in three-dimensional thinking, diverse materials, and techniques for an array of demanding projects - from grand museum exhibitions, to theatre, to artists’ projects.’

“…living next to one of the Great Lakes, Jana’s formative lexicon begins with forms such as washed-up bones on the beach, snow drifts, unusual ice formations, and bodily contours.” Artist’s statement

Jana Osterman was born in Slovenia and moved to Holland where she studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. She continued with printmaking studies in England. For more than 20 years, Osterman has worked as a full-time artist and fabricator in Canada, first in Toronto and now in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Using a variety of materials including cast aluminum, copper, and plaster, the artist creates biomorphic-themed sculptural pieces.
Osterman’s artworks, including public commissions, are held in collections in Canada, Slovenia, Germany, England, and Dubai.

This large colorful contemporary abstract painting was created by Milly Ristvedt.

For more than five decades Milly Ristvedt has contributed significantly to post-war abstract painting in Canada. Early in her career, she was singled out as a superb painter by renowned artists such as Jack Bush, a modernist celebrity. Now her work hangs in the National Gallery of Canada. In the 1990s, seduced by the creative possibilities of color and dynamic abstract form, Ristvedt explored the grid as a pattern that provides a greater sense of order. This piece is actually two canvases with raw edges that have been collaged onto a stretched canvas. The palette is ‘Milly’ inspired—an unusual and rich combination of purples, blues, golden yellow, and cranberry red accented by white and black. The painting is framed in basswood.

“The grid is a commonplace and omnipresent structure. The intersection of vertical and horizontal represents many things in human history. It is as old as this planet’s gravity and our attempts to stand erect on it. Its mystical associations are numerous. Repeated, these directional forces become the web that holds everything together.” Milly Ristvedt

“She uses color to effectuate spatial displacement. A displacement that confounds a simple straightforward reading that is suggested by the grid. Her surfaces are strongly present while at the same time contemplative. Her colors are warm and rich, humanistic. Ristvedt’s paintings are pure abstraction, formal abstraction without reference beyond the framing edge.” Bill Kort, Artreview No. 7, Nov. 1998

Milly Ristvedt was born in British Columbia and studied at the Vancouver School of Art (now the Emily Carr University). Her first solo exhibit was at the Carmen Lamanna Gallery in Toronto. Her work has been included in many publications, She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2004 and honoured with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. She has won seven Canada Council awards and two Ontario Arts Council awards and had over 50 solo exhibitions and been part of countless group shows.
Ristvedt's work can be found in major public collections throughout North America including the National Gallery of Canada.

Milly Ristvedt is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

This contemporary indoor sculpture’s geometric steel form is coated in bright white.

Quebec artist Claude Millette has received international acclaim for his striking minimalist modern sculptures. This piece forged from mild steel (iron that has a small percentage of carbon) resembles a stack of ten tumbling cubes in different sizes. Given the cubes’ precarious angles the ‘totem’ appears to defy gravity. The bright, glossy white powder-coated finish accentuates the clean form.
Millette is known for his imaginative abstract work that often challenges the viewer’s perception of balance and imbalance.

“Art is a universal language. And in this way, we can touch everyone in the world without words.” Claude Millette

Claude Millette was born in Saint-Hyacinthe Quebec. He studied at the École de sculpture de Saint-Jean-Port-Joli and apprenticed with revered sculptors Robert Poulin and Jordi Bonet. Millette's works have been commissioned for many public art projects and have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Mexico.

This modern abstract painting is by Milly Ristvedt.

For sixty years Canada’s Milly Ristvedt has been on an artistic journey that has explored the visual language of color and abstract form. Her intuitive, unique sense of color and expressive form has allowed her to find her own voice among the finest abstract expressionists in the world. Narrow, vertical, clean-edged columns roll out in a repeated pattern across the canvas. The palette is earthy, dark, and rich. The combination of color and shape adds visible dimension and dynamic movement to this piece.

“Because color resists language so successfully, it is easy for it to ‘disappear’ from conscious perception. This is what happened in the mid to late twentieth century, well after the birth of abstraction had upset the balance between color and form.” Milly Ristvedt

Milly Ristvedt was born in British Columbia and studied at the Vancouver School of Art (now the Emily Carr University). Her first solo exhibit was at the Carmen Lamanna Gallery in Toronto. In the late 1960s, Ristvedt shared a studio with famed Canadian painter Jack Bush, met art critic Clement Greenberg, and was inspired by American painters Jules Olitiski and Frank Stella. Her work has been included in many publications, She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2004 and honoured with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. She has won seven Canada Council awards and two Ontario Arts Council awards and had over 50 solo exhibitions and been part of countless group shows. Ristvedt's work can be found in major public collections throughout North America including the National Gallery of Canada.

Milly Ristvedt is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

This contemporary abstract painting inspired by nature is by Pat Service.

The allure of the open road has long been a favourite subject for this Canadian artist. And with that artist’s eye, she has re-imagined the view she held while driving through the rocky mountains. Renowned for her beautiful landscapes, Service has pared down details to the essentials in this striking minimalist series of mountain landscapes.
The form mimics rolling hills, expressed in a rich complex palette of colors—deep blue, alabaster, gold, and green in this piece. Service applied layer upon layer of thin paint to achieve this lush effect rather than mixing the colors together and applying them in one application.

“As I moved quickly along the highway, visions of what I saw out of the corner of my eye would come and go. The mountain becomes stretched out, and whatever else is there, a field, a parkway, and a foreground is simplified by the speed.” Pat Service

“At the core of Service’s work is a deep attention to the medium of paint and also to the effects of lines and other marks.” Beverly Cramp, arts writer/author

Pat Service acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C. and later studied art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Service’s work is held in private collections in North America, Britain, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Pat Service is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

This colorful abstract painting was created by the Canadian artist David Sorensen.

One of Canada’s finest contemporary artists, David Sorensen actually began his art career as a sculptor, a natural path from his education as an architect.
When he began painting, Sorensen was fascinated by the interaction of light with its environment and was drawn to the work of color field painters as early as the 1950s. In his own work, he embraced abstraction as a form and in this series the concept of a central square from which lines of varying widths—both vertical and horizontal emanate. The color palette is bold and rich—cranberry red, deep blue, sienna, brown, and white. The brushstrokes are expressive and lend a natural movement to the painting. Sorensen admired and was influenced by the work of American abstract expressionists Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. Auver is in France; famous as a place where Vincent Van Gogh painted.

“The role of the artist in a society is to manifest that inner view of their life and life in general as they see it.” David Sorensen

“David Sorensen’s work belongs to a very important generation of painters that came forth in the early seventies and have been active since. His interest is in color, and he was a very strong color field painter in Quebec. But what is interesting in his color field painting is that he also has movement, gesture…very soft, very tender movement…but nonetheless very active gesture on his canvas.” Laurier Lacroix, Professor of Art History, Quebec

David Sorensen was born in Vancouver (1937-2011) and studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson, Bill Reid, and Jack Shadbolt. After moving to Montreal, he taught art at the Montreal School of Art, the Saidye Bronfman Centre, and Bishop’s University. Sorensen, a member of the RCA exhibited all over the world. His work is held in numerous private, corporate, and public collections.

This contemporary abstract painting was rendered by a prominent Canadian artist.

Inspired by colors warmed by the intense sunlight of Cuba, David Sorensen, considered to be one of Canada’s finest sculptors and painters, created a series of paintings called the ‘Solar Series.’ Each piece, this one in golden yellow, earthy browns, creamy white, and gray-blue reflective of the palette of the country he fell in love with.
Sorensen was fascinated by the interplay of natural light with its environment. The viewer’s eye is drawn to the centre—a square of golden yellow from which several lines—horizontal and vertical emanate…like the rays of the sun, both luminous and warm.

“I love yellow! …I could just keep painting in yellow forever.” David Sorensen

“We look at pure light in movement…pure light as it’s moving and transforming in front of our eyes on the canvas. So what this created is harmonies…soft tonal qualities.” Laurier Lacroix, Professor of Art History, Quebec

David Sorensen was born in Vancouver (1937-2011) and studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson, Bill Reid, and Jack Shadbolt. After moving to Montreal, he taught art at the Montreal School of Art, the Saidye Bronfman Centre, and Bishop’s University. Sorensen, a member of the RCA exhibited all over the world. His work is held in numerous private, corporate, and public collections.

This contemporary multimedia assemblage is designed to hang on the wall.

Alice Vander Vennen’s beautiful, sculptural wall compositions are made from a curated collection of objects—copper, textiles (new and archival), acrylic on canvas, fossils, brass, and bronze. The assembled form is canoe-like; the visual narrative is intended to suggest a story about life’s journey. The Canadian artist’s own family history figures prominently as an influence in her work—Dutch parents who decades ago fled war-torn Holland for a life in the new world.
Vander Vennen’s deep love of textiles—the intricate patterns, color, and texture of fabrics add both richness and history to the work. Amidst the natural shapes layered in this relief, the distinctive forms of leaves, pine needles, and plants are evident. This piece is framed in black and can be hung either vertically or horizontally.

“The primary source of inspiration is from the fabrics themselves: from the intricate detail, to what happens when one places one piece of fabric alongside another piece of fabric. There is a sense of surprise that happens, and actually—pure joy in putting it together.” Alice Vander Vennen

Alice Vander Vennen trained as a sculptor at Calvin College, USA, and at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her work is held in public, private, and corporate collections both here and abroad.

This contemporary multimedia assemblage is designed to be hung on a wall.

There is an elegance to the artwork of Alice Vander Vennen that speaks to her background as a trained sculptor. Her wall reliefs are sculptural--a curated collection of objects—both found and created—polished copper, textiles (new and archival), wire, stones from a nearby lake, fossils, and piano hammers.
They aim to tell a story; often, as in this case a story about life’s journey as the composition resembles a canoe in form. The Canadian artist’s work has been shaped by her family history—a mother and father who decades ago fled war-torn Holland to find peace in Canada.
Vander Vennen’s color palette is rich and reminiscent of the Dutch masters. This piece is framed in black and can be hung either vertically or horizontally.

“The assembled sculptural form may be reminiscent of a quilt, a canoe, or a totem. I strive to have the materials form a new voice of a gathered people, a celebration of the human spirit in relation to its Creator, whether from secret spaces or the most flamboyant expressions.” Alice Vander Vennen

Alice Vander Vennen trained as a sculptor at Calvin College, USA, and at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her work is held in public, private, and corporate collections both here and abroad.

This contemporary multimedia assemblage is designed for the wall.

Canadian artist Alice Vander Vennen continues to explore rich visual narratives by using an inspired collection of materials in her sculptural wall compositions. This piece has three distinct square sections; each placed one on top of the other in a totem-like formation. Thoughtfully curated layers of materials including polished copper, stones gathered from a nearby lake, bronze, and textiles—both archival and new are designed to suggest a compelling story about life’s journey. Vander Vennen’s work is strongly influenced by her own Dutch family’s history—tales of loss, courage, and hope following the Second World War. The colour palette is reminiscent of Rembrandt’s dark lush tones accented by green, yellow, sky blue, and white. This piece is framed in black and may be hung horizontally or vertically.

“I feel that I'm simply playing with colours, shapes, and textures, simply putting them together, sewing, cutting, re-sewing until a new story emerges until a "wow-ness" happens that I can't even account for. Sometimes it's not until a show is being hung that I'm able to stand back and look at my work and realize some of the concepts that were happening in the pieces.” Alice Vander Vennen

Alice Vander Vennen trained as a sculptor at Calvin College, USA, and at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Her work is held in public, private, and corporate collections both here and abroad.

This contemporary abstract painting inspired by nature is by Pat Service.

The allure of the open road has long been a favourite subject for this Canadian artist. And with that artist’s eye, she has re-imagined the view she held while driving through the rocky mountains. Renowned for her beautiful landscapes, Service has pared down details to the essentials in this striking minimalist series of mountain landscapes.
The form mimics rolling hills, expressed in a rich complex palette of colors—red, navy blue, golden brown, bright green, and white in this piece. Service applied layer upon layer of thin paint to achieve this lush effect rather than mixing the colors together and applying them in one application.

“As I moved quickly along the highway, visions of what I saw out of the corner of my eye would come and go. The mountain becomes stretched out, and whatever else is there, a field, a parkway, and a foreground is simplified by the speed.” Pat Service

“At the core of Service’s work is a deep attention to the medium of paint and also to the effects of lines and other marks.” Beverly Cramp, arts writer/author

Pat Service acquired a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of B.C. and later studied art at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Service’s work is held in private collections in North America, Britain, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Pat Service is represented exclusively by the Oeno Gallery.

This contemporary wall sculpture is made of fired glass; its design is inspired by nature and rock formations.

Cheryl Wilson Smith’s uniquely striking wall sculptures are inspired by nature—the rugged, wild beauty of the Canadian Shield that surrounds her home in northern Ontario. Each sculptural composition is handmade of fine layers of glass frit (ground glass) designed to resemble rocky outcrops. The colour palette is earthy and rich, the texture visibly rough and by contrast, smooth. The Canadian artist used a small pick axe that belonged to her father, a hobbyist prospector to break up the glass.
For Wilson Smith, the many layers of her work tell a story—of treasured memories handed down through generations. Bones of the Earth is part of the ‘Outcrop’ series of pieces influenced by a geo-tour of Scotland and the amazing connection between two countries that once, long ago were part of the same continent. The Scottish guide on the tour referred to the ancient rocks as bones of the earth, a phrase that resonated with the artist—"a beautiful visualization of what I am exploring. I am intrigued by the idea of bones physically as well as the idea of memory in these rocks.”

“I was lucky enough to be awarded a Chalmers Fellowship through the Ontario Arts Council, which allowed me to spend 2 years researching genetic memory. Four of those months allowed me to return to Scotland to where my great-great grandmother lived and explore the rock formations that I discovered after making my work for several years. These rock formations are near where she lived that look surprisingly like my work.” Cheryl Wilson Smith

Cheryl Wilson Smith was the 2014 winner of the RBC Award for Glass through the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Wilson-Smith has received nine grants from the Ontario Arts Council and one from the Canada Council. Commissions include the Red Lake District Heritage Centre Margaret Cochenor Memorial Hospital Donor wall. Her work has been exhibited widely across Canada, the UK, and the US.

This contemporary wall sculpture is made of fired glass; its design is inspired by nature and rock formations.

Cheryl Wilson Smith’s uniquely striking wall sculptures are inspired by nature—the rugged, wild beauty of the Canadian Shield that surrounds her home in northern Ontario. Each sculptural composition is handmade of fine layers of glass frit (ground glass) designed to resemble rocky outcrops. The colour palette is earthy and rich, the texture visibly rough and by contrast, smooth. The Canadian artist used a small pick axe that belonged to her father, a hobbyist prospector to break up the glass.
For Wilson Smith, the many layers of her work tell a story—of treasured memories handed down through generations. Bones of the Earth is part of the ‘Outcrop’ series of pieces influenced by a geo-tour of Scotland and the amazing connection between two countries that once, long ago were part of the same continent. The Scottish guide on the tour referred to the ancient rocks as bones of the earth, a phrase that resonated with the artist—"a beautiful visualization of what I am exploring. I am intrigued by the idea of bones physically as well as the idea of memory in these rocks.”

“I was lucky enough to be awarded a Chalmers Fellowship through the Ontario Arts Council, which allowed me to spend 2 years researching genetic memory. Four of those months allowed me to return to Scotland to where my great-great-grandmother lived and explore the rock formations that I discovered after making my work for several years. These rock formations are near where she lived that look surprisingly like my work.” Cheryl Wilson Smith

Cheryl Wilson Smith was the 2014 winner of the RBC Award for Glass through the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Wilson-Smith has received nine grants from the Ontario Arts Council and one from the Canada Council. Commissions include the Red Lake District Heritage Centre Margaret Cochenor Memorial Hospital Donor wall. Her work has been exhibited widely across Canada, the UK, and the US.