PAUL JORGENSEN

My studio work explores the dynamic interplay of colour and composition, drawing inspiration from the Impressionists and the Group of Seven. Captured on canvas are imagined scenes, yet their roots lie in the breathtaking landscapes that have surrounded me throughout my life on Vancouver Island. Immersed in the region’s rugged coastlines, lush rainforests, and ever-changing light, I seek to distill the essence of these environments through my painterly approach.

With a focus on a bold and vibrant palette, my paintings aim to convey a sense of energy and movement. I am captivated by the drama that emerges when colours collide and forms intersect, creating a visual language that is both rooted in observation and free-flowing in expression. By combining the familiar with the imagined, I invite the viewer to join me on a journey of discovery, where the known and the unknown coexist in a dynamic, contemplative dance.

Born in Tofino, Paul Jorgensen moved to Nanaimo at the age of three. At various times, he has lived in Vancouver, Norway, and Greece, but has always come back home to Nanaimo.

As far back as he can remember, Paul was happiest when he had a crayon, a coloured pencil or brush in his hand.  He says “I have painted all my life. I remember painting “paint by numbers” when I was 8 or 9 years old.”   He is grateful for encouragement as a young child, being enrolled in “art camps” during school breaks. After graduation, he attended the Vancouver School of Art (now the Emily Carr School of Art + Design) where painting was only one part of the education.  Although “hard edge” paintings were in vogue, it was The Group of Seven, The Impressionists and magazine illustrators that provided Paul with inspiration, and they still do.  These artists, in most cases, hint of a story in a specific landscape that intrigues him.  It is why he tries to incorporate an open gate, a glimpse of a car, or a path, to hint of a person in the scene, that the viewer just missed.

Over the next 30 years, Paul worked at everything from running a tropical plant store to owning a restaurant, painting after hours. Support and mentorship came from fellow mid-Island artists Grant Leier and Nixie Barton. Leier offered encouragement and connected him with Victoria’s West End Gallery, which sold his first three paintings within a week. Paul is now happy and humbled to be painting full-time, considering himself an “overnight success that took 55 years”.  He adds “I had hit and miss success in galleries, but it was not until I was accepted at the West End Gallery in Victoria in 1999 that things changed. Sales were more regular and a few years later I took the plunge, quitting my steady job to pursue what I always dreamed of doing for a living.”

He says colour inspires him most. He follows many talented artists on social media and being attracted by their use of colour or light and how they do it differently than most of the pack.

Asked what makes him proudest, he says that he can make a living from his art, telling him that his paintings connect with people. “My paintings are not intended to be a serious view of the world. I like work that involves imagination and technique and that suggests stories. I just want to make people happy looking at my paintings.”  Paul’s work is known for bringing a sense of peace to the viewer.  His paintings are evocative of a past when you were content and happy.  Gaze into one of his paintings and you will be drawn into a warm safe blanket of colour. https://www.jorgensenart.net

When not in his studio, Paul likes to garden, go out boating and other times, attempts to golf.