Cory Trepanier brings the Canadian Arctic to Ontario

November 14, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By ALYSSA PARKHILL

Cory Trépanier has been drawing since he was a child. Born and raised in Caledon, he pursed his passion throughout his career, travelling far and wide to paint breathtaking landscapes.

Trépanier is launching his new exhibit “Arctic Awakening” partnered with Hatch Gallery of Contemporary Art in Mississauga.

Arctic Awakening includes paintings of a variety of sites in the Arctic such as the Brock River Canyon, Crocker Bay, Beechey Island.

“I went to high school in Bolton, lived here for 35 years and my daughters went to school here, so we’re local. This is the first time we can exhibit this Arctic work that we’ve been developing over the years, that’s accessible to people in Caledon. Our touring expedition called ‘Into the Arctic’ has been travelling all over the world, but yet has not come to Ontario yet,” explains Trépanier.

Trépanier has pursued his passion through art and film by travelling over 60,000 km, including long and staggering heights with all his gear on his back, to capture the beauty and essence of the Arctic. Several pieces of his work have been an incorporated in three documentary films, and ‘Into The Arctic’ exhibition by David J. Wagner LLC.

“Exploring and painting the Canadian Arctic has been challenging and awe-inspiring, bringing me to face to face with some of the planets greatest natural wonders. After many years of solitary development, I am humbled to learn that others are being moved by my canvases. And that the exhibition is inspiring conversation about the North, the Inuit, the power of nature, and the importance of humanity’s role in protecting it,” states Trépanier.

In 2006 Trépanier along with his wife and two daughters left for the Arctic for two and a half months. He travelled through the Arctic weather by foot, canoe, plane, boat with canvases, painting, filming and camping gear. Arctic Awakening will present a variety of Trépanier’s work, but majority of his canvases, are part of the ‘Into the Arctic’ collection.

“We had an opportunity and met the CEO of Hatch last fall at an opening show at the McMichael. We met and we chatted, low and behold he invited me to do a screening of our latest film, the one that’s not public yet, down at their head office. We did a 30-minute taste, of the film along with a look at the 13 paintings,” says Trépanier. “Although there are 50 paintings that are currently touring America and the by the time it’s done, in 13 or 14 museums, I’ve done actually over 100 paintings.”

“Arctic Awakening is sort of a reflection of a desire I had for my work to awaken people to this part of our country. It’s incredible landscapes and wonderful people and just how things are dramatically changing up there in recent times, with no signs of stopping,” says Trépanier.

He added, “Hopefully this work can touch hearts and connect people and put a face to the changes that are taking place up North.”

Trépanier went back to the Arctic last year with his daughter, Sydney which was her first trip back to the Arctic since 2006, and they hiked across Baffin Island 100 km with over 75 pounds on their backs in hopes to find Mount Asgard. The exhibit includes an eight-foot-high painting of Mount Asgard, that is currently still in progress, but will be on display for the public to get a teaser of the canvas.

“We’re so pleased to welcome Cory’s exhibit to the Hatch Gallery of Contemporary Art because we share a common goal of preserving our Arctic region. One of our missions at Hatch is to work with our client to build practical solutions that are safe, innovative and sustainable,” says Glenn Sakaki, Hatch’s global director of Marketing and Communications and curator of the Hatch Gallery of Contemporary Art. “This is especially important in regions as fragile as the Arctic region, where the environment and local communities and cultures are so unique. Having Cory’s art on display in our gallery acts as a daily reminder of our duty as engineers to create, build and innovate in a way that honours our environment and communities.”

The exhibit is open for the public to view Trépanier’s incredible work at the Hatch’s Contemporary Gallery of Fine Art at 2800 Speakman Drive in Mississauga.

For more information about Cory Trépanier and to view his short films and other pieces of art, visit corytrepanier.com.