Magda Johnson
Meet the Artist
Magda is a Canadian acrylic artist who draws her creative inspiration from the peaks and valleys of the mainland 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 peaks and shores.
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 silhouettes which follow the coastline and mountains of Whistler, Howe Sound, 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 hiking trails on local mountains, exploring the island beaches, gathering reference photographs, and paddle boarding along the shores.
EXHIBITIONS
2026 Whistler Wine Walk / Adele Campbell Gallery / Whistler BC
2025 Art of Winter Group Exhibition / Adele Campbell Gallery / Whistler BC
2025 Group Show / Mattick’s Gallery / Victoria BC
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 Spotlight) / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2024 Group Show / Kurbatoff Gallery / Vancouver BC
2023 Group Show / Matticks Gallery / Victoria BC
2023 New Works (Solo Spotlight) / 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
