Ross Penhall is known for his richly coloured, light-filled landscapes of the West Coast, the Prairies and California, with subjects ranging from mountain fjords to open plains with expansive skies.

Penhall attended the studio art program at Capilano College, and studied printmaking with internationally renowned printmaker Wayne Eastcott. In 1995, Penhall continued his art education through extra-sessional studies at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, during which time he began to work in oil.

The work of artists A.J. Casson, as well as other Group of Seven members, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Wayne Thiebaud were a strong influence on Penhall, inspiring his explorations of space and light in the landscape. Additionally, the rhythmic shapes and colours in the work of Georgia O’Keefe have been a strong influence. However, the greatest influence on Penhall’s art has been living in the beautiful hillsides of Vancouver’s North Shore.

Penhall depicts elements in his works such as trees, clouds or mountains using voluminous, simplified shapes. The light in his paintings is warmly atmospheric, often raking across his scenes to highlight a landscape element, and his colours are saturated. His scenes are tremendously evocative; when looking at his work - for example, a landscape with a path - Penhall wants “people to think ‘where is that path going?’ Trigger something from their memory. But what I find interesting are the desire lines. Landscape architects design pathways and then there are these desire lines where people take short cuts. You see them on hillsides where animals travel back and forth. You see them everywhere. You see them in Stanley Park and Central Park. It’s a dirt path through the grass. Cutting a corner. I’m far more interested in the desire lines.” He carefully edits and crops his paintings, deciding “What to leave in, what to leave out. I’m more interested in balance. Tonal values, a point of interest, and balance.” [1]

Penhall has exhibited annually since 1995 - his paintings are sought after, and he is represented by galleries in California and New York. Heffel is pleased to announce that we are now representing his work at our galleries across Canada. His paintings are in numerous private, corporate and public collections in the United States and in Canada.

[1] Michelle Sirois Silver, Manmade Paths: An Interview with Ross Penhall, April 26, 2017