Statement, 2025 :The beauty of the world always surprises me. When I stop for an instant and look, I usually find it. I love making paints and colours express the beauty I see everywhere. My passion is to share the impressions of everyday scenes that surround me.
I’ve always drawn since I was very young; the turning point for me was moving next door to plein air painter John Alexander Day here in Ottawa. He became my mentor, took me on plein air outings and I learned a lot from him.
I was born and raised in the Appalachians, and I love the outdoors. For a few years I travelled form Ottawa to Charlevoix to paint its sights – mountains, the St.Lawrence, the countryside. Then I realized that what I find most important is not what I paint, but how I paint it. The light is everything, and I also find interesting views in the greater Ottawa area – anywhere between Metcalfe and Luskville, Almonte and Plaisance. I also went from using acrylics to oils when painting outside, for two reasons: the oil paints can be used in much colder weather, allowing me to paint winter scenes, and I find oil paints more expressive in terms of gestures, brushstrokes, etc.
My studio pieces are done with acrylic, collages, and more exploratory techniques. My subjects are often chosen from the chaos of every day life. I prefer subjects with good tonal contrasts, interiors and human figures. I avoid any kind of formula. Life is so much more creative than I could ever be.
CV
Training
Self-taught;
Oil and Acrylic painting with Susan Feindel, Ottawa School of Art, 1993
Theory of Colours with Lucia de Marinis, Ottawa School of Art, 1994
Plein air painting workshops with John Alexander Day, 1998 – 2004
Springmaid Watermedia Workshops, SC, with Carla O’Connor – Composition Structures, 2007
Symposiums: Regular participation in art symposiums in Ottawa (Art in the Park / the New Art Festival), Québec (Route de la Nouvelle France, Boischatel; Rêves d’automne, Baie-Saint-Paul), and NB (Rendez-Vous des Artistes) since 2006
Publications and Awards
Awarded ‘Visual Impact’ prize at the 2024 Kamouraska Painting Symposium.
Peoples’ Choice and 3 rd place, National Painting Contest ‘Rêves d’automne 2015’, Baie-Saint-Paul, with the painting “Illumination”.
Awarded 4 th place in the international acrylic painting contest frm “The Artist’s Magazine”, October 2012
Cover of the book « le Commerce International », Chenelière, ed., 2009
Article in the book « How to Paint People and Figures », International Artist, ed., 2004
Article « L’impressionisme de Paul Saindon » by Claude Bouchard, « Le Droit », 2004
Vernissages and other events
November 2023: Vernissage, ‘The Poetry of Light’, Espace33 gallery, Gatineau, Qc
November 2021: Vernissage, ‘Illumination’, Espace33 Gallery, Gatineau, Qc.
June 2021: Group Show, ‘Abstract + Landscape’, Sarah Moffat Art Gallery, Carleton Place, ON
June 2018: Guest Artist, Symposium de peinture de Baie-Comeau
Jan 2017: Vernissage, Mississipi Mills Public Art Galleries
October 2016 :Vernissage, “Nues”, Espace33 Gallery, Gatineau, Qc
October 2016: Guest Artist at the Vallée-Jonction Art Symposium
December 2014: Vernissage From Plein Air to Studio, Espace33 Gallery, Gatineau, Qc
November 2014: Featured Artist for November 17 in « Fine Art Views », an internet publication. Article by Carrie Turner
Spring 2014: A series of 11 workshops on « Introduction to Painting », given at various Ottawa Public Library Branches
October 2011: Vernissage Recent Works, Espace33 Gallery, Gatineau, Qc.
October 2010: Jury member, Ottawa Art Expo, 29 Oct.
May 2010: Guest Artist at the Symposium de la Route de la Nouvelle France, Boischatel, Qc
March 2010: Vernissage, La Petite Fanfare Gallery, Old Chelsea, Qc
December 2009: Vernissage New Works , Artguise Gallery, Ottawa, Dec 2009 – Jan 2010
October 2009: Group Show ‘Friends of the Farm’, Ottawa, On
February 2009: Vernissage Transitions, Artguise Gallery, Ottawa, 6 Feb – 6 March
November 2008: The painting Marché et immeubles was chosen as cover illustration of the book Commerce International , Chenelière ed
April 2008: Article by Jim Donnelly in Weekly Journal of Ottawa, 11 April 2008.
October 2007: Vernissage Paul Saindon, Époque Gallery, Aylmer, QC
June 2007: Group Show Spring, Rothwell-Hauck Gallery, Ottawa
July 2006: Group Show Ottawa , Rothwell-Hauck Gallery, Ottawa
April 2005: Vernissage, Époque Gallery, Aylmer, Qc
February 2005: Place à la musique, Group Show, Galerie du Parc, Old Chelsea, QC
December 2004: Group Show, Rothwell Gallery, Ottawa
June 2004 : Vernissage “Plein Air Ottawa” with John A. Day, Galerie du Parc, Old Chelsea, Qc
May 2003: Vernissage, Époque Gallery, Aylmer, Qc
October 2001: Vernissage, Époque Gallery, Aylmer, Qc
Art Galleries : ESPACE33, 33 rue Principale, Gatineau, Qc http://www.espace33.ca
Paul Saindon 