Shirley Wiitasalo facts for kids

Shirley Wiitasalo, born in 1949, is a Canadian artist. She is famous for her abstract paintings. Her art often uses shapes and lines inspired by cities. In 2011, she received a big award called the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts.

About Shirley Wiitasalo

Shirley Wiitasalo was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1949. She still lives and works there today. She studied art at the Ontario College of Art from 1967 to 1968. For many years, her art was shown by different galleries. Since 1993, the Susan Hobbs Gallery in Toronto has shown her work.

In 1986, Shirley received the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award. This award came from the Canada Council. In 1998, she won The Gershon Iskowitz Prize. This prize included $50,000 and a special art show. Her art was shown at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Her Unique Painting Style

Shirley Wiitasalo has been painting for over 30 years. Other artists say she has changed how painting is done. Her artwork is known for its beautiful colors and patterns. She also uses soft, neutral shades.

Shirley has used interesting materials in her art. For example, in her 1981 painting Interior, she used something called Liquid Light. This is a special liquid that acts like a photographic film. She painted it onto a canvas. Then, she projected an image onto it. Finally, she finished the painting with Bellini oils.

Major Art Shows

Shirley Wiitasalo's art has been shown all over Canada. Her paintings have been in museums and art galleries. In 2000, she had a solo exhibition at The Power Plant. She was also part of an exhibition called Some Canadian Women Artists. This show was put together by the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.

Her art has also traveled to other countries. In 1993, her work was shown at Kunsthalle Bern in Switzerland. It was also seen at Galerie Paul Andriesse in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 1999, her art was displayed at GreeneNaftali in New York. In 1981, the National Gallery of Canada organized a show called 20th Century Canadian Painting. This exhibition traveled to Japan. It was shown at The National Museum of Art in Tokyo. It also went to the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in Sapporo. And it was seen at the Oita Prefectural Art Centre in Oita City.