The relationship with Mountainside Gallery started a long time ago. Susan Burack and Maria Lamon joined me during one of my art retreats in Italy. They have represented my art for years and I am very proud to have them represent my work at Mountainside Gallery. Gordon Harrison was born in Montréal in 1953 and showed an interest in art at an early age. Enthralled by the natural Laurentian landscapes surrounding him as a young boy, he followed his passion choosing to study landscape architecture at the University of Toronto. Gordon Harrison is a juried member of The Society of Canadian Artists and L’académie Internationale des Beaux-arts du Québec.His partner and gallerist Phil Emond operates the Gordon Harrison Canadian landscape gallery, which showcases Gordon Harrison’s collection of Canadian landscapes from his travels across Canada.Gordon is mainly self-taught and has also taken courses at the Ottawa School of Art and was highly influenced by one of Canada’s foremost artists from Quebec, Jean-Rene Richard (1895–1982). Gordon’s book, “The Colours of Canada” gives our Canadian landscape a strong voice. Gordon has gained an international reputation producing impressive collections of Canadian landscapes from his travels across Canada. His work combines great power, strength, and softness. Gordon is often referred to as the eighth member of the Group of Seven, his figurative landscapes on the edge of abstraction are a contemporary vision of what would have become the Group of Seven paintings in today’s age. In 2018, he received first prize at Le Domaine Saint-Bernard Symposium in Tremblant, Québec. In 2016, Gordon Harrison received international recognition as the best solo artist at the New York International Art Expo among more than 400 international artists. In 2014, he received national recognition with first prize at the National Painting Competition of Rêves d’automne in baie-saint-paul, charlevoix region, Québec, competing among 140 Canadian artist and 251 paintings from Canada and Europe. In 2010, he was invited to share his journey as an artist at the National Gallery of Canada.“Gordon Harrison is a man of many parts, all of which have combined. To make him one of the most successful Canadian landscape painters working today. Harrison literally revels in colour and at times it is as if he has created his own vocabulary to describe the Canadian landscape. There are aspects of his work which do remind you of the group of seven, but they are difficult to pin down. It could be the density of emotion hidden in his work or the complexity of the draftsmanship involved in creating his unique works of art.” — Magazin’art 2015. Today, he continues to coach artists and people of all ages across Canada out of his studios in the Laurentians and Ottawa. In 2009, Gordon Harrison and Phil Emond created the Gordon Harrison art inspiration project. Inspiring children to pursue their artistic talent and to discover the beauty of our Canadian landscapes is the artist’s focus. In 2012, a new community initiative was founded – the Gordon Harrison apprentices program – showcasing the talent of people from our community coached by Gordon Harrison.To celebrate Ottawa and Canada’s cultural heritage, the executive committee of “Ottawa Art Expo” asked Gordon Harrison to be one of the three jurors to recognize the talent of artists in the Ottawa community. He is often commissioned by clients to put their most memorable views on canvas. Gordon Harrison’s work is described as a “celebration of colour.” His bold use of colour, his unique skies and picturesque destinations evoke an emotional response from the viewer as he creates a mood in each painting. “I refer to my art as “contemporary landscapes”: my brush strokes are broad, loose, and intense, yet my subject matter remains clear.”“Knowing that my work is part of our Canadian culture and heritage and viewed and collected worldwide; knowing that I inspire and coach so many people, artists, and students; knowing that my work continues to surround me in my studios and very own gallery; knowing that my partner Phil is there to support me and my work, gives me a great feeling of accomplishment as a Canadian artist.thank you for being part of this dream – my journey.”