Untitled by Stephen Illius

Based in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas, 36x36, 2025

I paint for purely selfish reasons. I enjoy the colour and the mark-making. My paintings may look chaotic, or even angry, but for me, they are decidedly not. I'm endeavouring to find a balance, a balance of colour and composition. And the more elements that are introduced the more complicated that pursuit becomes.

Something I struggle with, and I'm sure all artists do, is becoming precious about the work, when to keep going, when to stop, and how to have the courage to layer over good work. I consider my work to be semi-abstract. All my works are landscapes, imagined and wrought from memory—a confabulation of sorts. I take inspiration from everything around me, imprints of shapes, moods and feelings. I work quickly, and so the feeling of one session may be fleeting, just a quick impression. And in the next session the canvas may be turned upside down or on its side if that speaks to me; and looking anew I may pick up on something I like and start again.

The painting in its original orientation Detail shots