Gale Hagblom

I have lived in eight provinces and territories within Canada, however, the majority of my time has been in Saskatoon. In 1994 – 95 I studied Graphic Design and New Media at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. I then ventured off to Halifax to study fine arts at the NSCAD University and graduated with my BFA in 2007. I began a career as a professional painter while working in communications. In 2011 I completed an MA in Geography and Planning and most recently in September 2020, I completed an MFA in studio art. Both master’s degrees were completed at the University of Saskatchewan.

My paintings interpret nature while considering other worldly and human responses. Because of my background as a graphic designer, I notice line, shape, and colour; the meaning of symbols, and the elements they communicate. The vast lateral landscape with the intermittent infusion of colour is a large part of my inspiration. I interpret, abstract and sublimate to unveil and explore the familiar. I employ a variety of painterly techniques that are underpinned with translucent or opaque layers of paint that reveal hints of what lies beneath.

My graduating exhibition featured large scale paintings in oil on stretched canvas. They are shallow in depth, minimalist in content and conceptual in form.