About the Exhibition

“Sunlit Canopy”

An Exhibition by Helen Utsal
Dates: April 1st – 24th, 2026

For more information, contact gallery@riverdalehub.ca.

Artist Bio

Helen Utsal is an award-winning contemporary landscape painter living and working on Vancouver Island. Spending time in Nature is a critical aspect of her inspiration and practice, a space for meditation, creation and renewal.

“I am endlessly inspired by trees—their diverse shapes, moods, and personalities. My goal isn’t to replicate reality, but to share my impressions of the forest: to see it with the eyes of a child, as a place filled with wonder and possibility. I embrace unexpected colours, painting for the sheer joy of it.

While hiking and paddling, I treasure the quiet sounds and stillness of nature. With my camera and my painter’s mind, I capture fleeting moments— light shining bright and chartreuse on stirring leaves, dramatic reflections on the water, tangles of roots weaving the land together under my feet.

As an artist, it’s a profound privilege to witness and reflect the extraordinary Canadian landscape—a land that holds both ancient strength and a fresh, living energy.

I love teaching workshops in my studio and welcome the public every Saturday to visit my studio/gallery in Courtenay.”

Featured Artwork:Helen Utsal, Space for Renewal, Acrylic, Oil and Cold Wax on Canvas, 40” x 40”