Watercolourist: “plein air” painter of Boreal Canada

Alan paints the Boreal Canada; the vast silent northern regions. His paintings are of a land incredibly rich in diversity, a constant offering of pristine wilderness and crystal lakes.

A curatorial review of Alan Bain landscapes contains the following:

“Alan Bain paints Boreal Canada with an authoritative knowledge of his subject. These uniquely Canadian areas have been an integral part of his life. His landscapes, characterized by strong colours and clean crisp renderings, speak of a long experience and an intimate knowledge of a land he loves.”

Education:

            McGill (B.Sc. Geology), McGill (B.Ed. Admin.), Boston University (M.A.)

            In 1972 Alan joined a watercolour class at the Ottawa School of Art with Morton Baslaw CSPWC as instructor. Alan continued with Jack Reid CSPWC and Danis Meizajs CSPWC. Gradually, as Alan learned the technicalities of watercolour, his love of the bush, of canoe and the open road distilled into his landscapes and has since emerged as a distinctive style of outdoor landscape painting.

Career:

            In 1983 Alan became a Fellow of the Ottawa Watercolour Society. In 1996 Alan was elected to the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour.

CSPWC is an elected society, including all of the famous watercolorists from the fabric of Canadian art. The Society dedicates itself to, “...cultivate and encourage excellence in the medium of watercolour...”

            Alan served as CSPWC Director for Eastern Ontario and is Past President of the Ottawa Watercolour Society. In 1998 he organized the Ottawa Watercolour Symposium presented jointly by CSPWS and OWS.

            Alan’s paintings have enjoyed international acceptance. His paintings have had wide commercial acceptance: Midland Walwyn, Toronto Harbour Castle, Royal Bank, TD Bank, and Merrill Lynch. He is a regular artist in several commercial galleries. His paintings can be found in private collections across Canada, United States, Great Britain, Europe and Africa.

            A special presentation of one of Alan’s paintings was made to retiring Ontario Premier Bill Davis.  In 1998 Alan was invited to place a painting, as one of six representatives from Canada, in the Third International Biennial Exhibition of Watercolour at EL MUSEO NACIONAL DE LA ACUARELA in Mexico City. In 2005 a Bain landscape was presented to Hon. Peter McKay, M.P., Minister for Foreign Affairs.

            Alan is teaching regular classes for St.Lawrence College, Brockville. He has taught frequent workshops, Ottawa, Brockville, Kingston and Newfoundland. He taught art classes as enrichment to students from S.D.&G. County School Board, and also taught at the Ottawa School of Art.

Alan is married to Audrey, an artist and retired Gallery Director. Together they have enjoyed travelling Canada in search of painting places.

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