On the northern fringes of the Great Plains Grasslands natural region of Alberta Canada lives artist Colin Starkevich, where he strives to portray the natural beauty of the Canadian Grasslands in his artwork. After a 3-day trip to the Alberta Grasslands in 2009, when Colin was 19, he fell in love with the region.  This experience fundamentally inspires his creative practice, resulting in his dedication to painting the Grasslands and its wild inhabitants in an ongoing series of work what is now called The Grassland Series.

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His artistic endeavours are intended to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the Grasslands while supporting and celebrating conservation efforts within this region. He hopes to inspire people of all ages to search within themselves and discover their passions and unique abilities, to make a positive difference in the world around them.

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When Colin was twenty-one years old, he was invited by renowned wildlife artist Robert Bateman to attend his Master Artist Seminar. Following this experience, Colin’s painting "Grassland Harmonies" was a selected finalist in the 2013 The Artist’s Magazine's annual international art competition. In 2015, he was awarded an artist's residence at the Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, Saskatchewan - one of Colin's most memorable awards. In 2015 Colin had one of his life dreams come true, a solo Feature Exhibition at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, Alberta. This exhibition was the premiere of his Grassland Series Colin was only 25 years old at the time of this exhibition, making him one of the youngest, if not they youngest, artist in Canadian history to have a solo exhibition at one of the countries acclaimed provincial museums.

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Colin has been a member of the international Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC) since 2017. The AFC represents the world's leading collective of artists focused on nature and wildlife. He has annually exhibited with the AFC since earning signature membership in their annual international juried exhibition– which is one of the largest conservation themed exhibits in the world. Colin is also a juried member of the International Guild of Realism (IGOR), a collective of some of the world’s top realist artists today. In 2022, Colin became an associate member with the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) and has exhibited in numerous juried exhibitions with the FCA in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Holding a BSc majoring in Environmental Sciences and a diploma in Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation, Colin has worked as a wildlife technician in Canada’s arctic and grassland regions. He feels these experiences have taught him a great deal about the wildlife he paints and the ecosystems in which they live.

An artist who continues to push the boundaries within his work, Colin feels he can make a positive contribution to society and the conservation of our natural world through his artwork.

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“We all are capable of doing great things for this world in numerous ways, it is up to us to discover our strengths and develop them to make a positive difference in a way that is very unique and special”

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- Colin Starkevich

 

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