Magda Johnson
Meet the Artist
Magda is a self-taught Polish-Canadian acrylic artist who draws her creative inspiration from the peaks and valleys of the North Shore mountains, the tides of the Salish Sea, and the windswept beaches of Vancouver Island. Magda’s work has been described as ethereal and atmospheric - capturing the true yet unspoken emotion behind the way onlookers feel when they lay eyes on Canada’s coastline.
Growing up in Vancouver B.C., Magda watched her mother play with acrylics and paint local landscapes, all the while influencing her knowledge, skill, and love of art. This exposure created an unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge and technical skills.
Her most recent works feature notable landscape silhouettes which follow the coastline of Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island. Unlike conventional landscape paintings, the details within Magda’s work are intentionally simplified, pulling the observer towards appreciating the unique form and silhouette of each location.
After deciding on the location and palette, acrylic paints are first diluted then glided onto the canvas forming a thin layer of ground. The ebb and flow of repeated brush strokes gently add and remove paint in the distance of the landscape, allowing depth to come in the form of light and space between paint and canvas. Her use of the palette knife is consistently applied to each painting which defines tree lines, moments of light, and reflections and ripples in the water.
Magda currently lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia on the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Snaw-naw-as, and Stz’uminus Peoples, with her two sons, husband and furry companion. When she’s not painting, you can find her exploring the island beaches, gathering reference photographs, teaching acrylic painting and paddle boarding along the shores.
She has recently opened up her studio and has begun hosting intimate paint nights where she shares her love of painting and teaches attendees how to bring the west coast to life on a canvas.
EXHIBITIONS
2025 Group Show ‘A Coastal Vibe’ / Vibe Arts / Qualicum BC
2025 Group Show / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2024 Group Show / Mattick’s Gallery / Victoria BC
2024 Home (Solo) / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2024 Group Show / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2023 Group Show / Matticks Gallery / Victoria BC
2023 New Works (Solo) / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2022 Group Show / Mattick's Gallery / Victoria BC
EDUCATION
B.A. Literature, University of British Columbia, Canada
B.A Education, University of British Columbia, Canada
Learn more about Magda Johnson
