Guided by his explorations in the Canadian wilderness, Steve Driscoll translates his encounters into immersive and colour-saturated depictions of landscape. Known mostly for his paintings, his work has also taken the form of light-boxes and site-specific installations.
His technique embraces painterly spontaneity and experimentation yet it is measured by his deep understanding of the industrial materials he employs. Often influenced by social media, advertising and architecture, his use of colour and light reflects these everyday experiences.
The element of performance plays an important and evolving role in Driscoll's practice. Recently, he sent GoPro cameras on inflatable pillows down waterfalls and rapids in Northern Ontario, recording the power and energy of water and referencing this in his work. For Driscoll's exhibition at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in 2017, his paintings were shown alongside photographs of them displayed outdoors, contrasting their typical gallery context. He has also created "pond exhibitions", flooding the galleries' floors with water to reflect the hanging paintings while directing the viewer using constructed pathways.
Steve Driscoll was born in Oakville, Ontario in 1980. He received his BFA from OCAD University in 2002. Recent museum exhibitions include I closed my eyes but the light was still there at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery (2020) and Size Matters at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (2017). His work is included in museum collections including the McMichael Canadian Art Collection as well as numerous corporate and bank collections in Canada.