Biography
Moving from my birthplace, Winnipeg to Edmonton at the age of two, my earliest memories involved drawing. When a Grade 1 classmate told me that I was destined to be an artist, I was heartbroken – I wanted to be an ichthyologist or paleontologist. Yet, throughout the years, it was always art that was my one constant, even when I chose architecture and design to ‘make a living’ and raise my family.
Inspired by artists such as Rockwell Kent, Doris McCarthy, and the Group of Seven, I am devoted to bringing awareness to regions of the world that are now endangered due to climatic change, creating artworks that display the unique beauty that is in danger of being altered forever.
Years ago, I embarked on a life-changing trip to the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. While I have always had two main passions in life – art and nature – this adventure affected me to my core. I was entranced by the beauty of the landscape and was equally charmed by the people of the north. I became intrigued by the harshness and yet fragility of the land and the strength and creativity of the people who are able to survive there.
Over the years, in pursuit of inspiration for future artworks, I have visited many wilderness regions in order to record the beauty of the landscape. I saw first hand what climate change and development is doing to the polar environments and committed myself to documenting such landscapes before they vanish.
Artist Statement
“Many people have lost their connection with nature – they need to see and experience true wilderness to understand and appreciate why it should be preserved.
Portraying the links between science / nature and art is central to my being. I seek to discover the ‘architecture’ of the natural world and how living things (including humans) ‘fit’ in, thus creating an awareness and greater appreciation of the somewhat ‘invisible’. I work towards the preservation of wonder, the ‘wonder’ of nature, and the ‘wonder’ that each of us carried in our hearts as children which has evaporated with age. I want viewers to not only value and become conscious of the beauty that surrounds us, but also the beauty within us.
Over the years, my artwork has portrayed figures in a somewhat ‘kindred’ landscape which spoke about the person depicted – I was interested in creating a dialogue between the subject and their environment. Presently, my works involve two directions – large scale, highly detailed portraits and iconic landscapes / images of wilderness. I am dedicated to experiencing, responding to, and documenting the vastness and beauty of the world’s endangered wilderness areas.”
– Donald Moar
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© Donald Moar “On The Rocks”
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© Donald Moar “Ephemera”
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© Donald Moar “Industry for Poets”