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Greetings!
Sean Yelland’s End of the Rainbow, his thirteenth solo exhibition with the gallery, opens Saturday, March 1. Celebrate opening day in company with Yelland at his artist’s reception from 1pm to 3pm. Living and working in Toronto, Sean Yelland remains immersed in a state of perpetual artistic creation, producing works that bridge the personal and the universal. His enduring commitment to his career and his city has established him as a significant Canadian artist whose contributions continue to enrich the cultural landscape.
SEAN YELLAND
End of the Rainbow
March 1 - 29, 2025
Opening Reception with the Artist:
// Saturday, March 1 // 1pm - 3pm
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Sales Department - oil on canvas on panel, 36 x 24 inches | |
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A graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design in 1989, Yelland has cultivated a distinctive artistic voice that explores the interplay between the everyday and the mysterious, transforming ordinary city scenes into profound visual narratives. He captivates viewers with his meticulous craftsmanship and nuanced exploration of place and perception.
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Routine - oil on canvas on panel, 16 x 16 inches | |
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With a career spanning multiple decades, Sean Yelland has exhibited widely across Canada, earning critical acclaim for his ability to weave dark humour and nostalgia into his art. His paintings serve as a visual diary of Toronto’s evolving urban fabric, capturing both its past and present while prompting reflection on its future. His paintings showcase exceptional skill, from the precision of his paint detail to his manipulation of light and colour. The way he intensifies hues and captures all manner of light demonstrates a command of his medium.
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Half Time - oil on canvas on panel, 36 x 36 inches | |
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Surprise - oil on canvas on panel, 20 x 16 inches
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Van Guard - oil on canvas on panel, 16 x 16 inches
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Yelland’s art doesn’t mimic any single influence but instead synthesizes them into something uniquely his own. His focus on colour, light, and the passage of time as he travels about inspires the artist to translate his observations into paint, amplifying them with his surreal edge — a Lynchian beauty.
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After the Funeral - oil on canvas on panel, 36 x 42 inches | |
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A signature element of his work is the visionary use of reflections, as in Rorschach's Car (below). These reflections offer multiple perspectives within a single frame, adding depth and complexity to his compositions. The same thoughtfulness is at play in Yelland’s titles, which invite viewers to chuckle while pondering deeper themes of memory and loss.
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Rorschach's Car - oil on canvas on panel, 48 x 48 inches | |
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Sean Yelland’s brilliance as a punster and wordsmith is a subtle yet integral thread woven into his visual vocabulary, enriching his work with layers of wit and intellectual playfulness. Yelland demonstrates a linguistic dexterity that complements and informs his artistic expression, revealing a mind attuned to the dualities of language and image.
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Tree or a Bush - oil on canvas on panel, 22.5 x 24 inches | |
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“I work on one painting at a time throughout the year, so in that sense, I see each painting as sort of a journal page. When I see them all hanging on the wall, it’s like looking back at the whole year.”
- Sean Yelland | Sesaya Arts Magazine, February 21, 2025
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Phases of the Sun - oil on canvas on panel, 20 x 16 inches | |
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A notable milestone in Yelland’s career came in 2011 when he was shortlisted for the prestigious Kingston Prize, an accolade that underscored his growing stature within the Canadian art community. Yelland is featured on page 154 in the newly published Canada’s Portrait Competition: The Kingston Prize (Donvillle Creative | Goose Lane, 2025). Copies of the book will be available at the gallery.
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The End of the Rainbow - oil on canvas on panel, 36 x 48 inches | |
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Sean Yelland is a creator whose canvases promise to endure. Join the artist between 1pm and 3pm Saturday, March 1 at the gallery in celebration and conversation. We look forward to everyone experiencing End of the Rainbow this March at Ingram Gallery.
Tarah Aylward
Ingram Gallery Inc.
24 Hazelton Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
416-929-2220
X: @TorontoART
For the Love of Art | #AtTheGallery
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