Biography of
Dominik Modlinski
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Domink J. Modlinski was born in Warsaw, Poland Nov 20, 1970. From an early age he studied printmaking and later attended the School for Artistic Crafts and Design in Warsaw. In 1987 he immigrated to Canada and studied fine arts at Ontario College of Art in Toronto, where he graduated with honours in 1993. It was while studying landscape painting, that Dominik was naturally drawn to the wilderness of Northern Ontario. Following his graduation he moved to the Algoma region of Ontario to paint at the Algoma School of Landscape Arts. Since then he has pursued his passion to paint the wilderness in various locations around the globe. As a matter of course, Dominik incorporates the journey motif, his creative process and his personal growth into his work.
In the early 90’s his travels led him to the Yukon wilderness and the far North, where he truly found his inner creative calling in depicting the dramatic landscapes of Canada. Now, for over 15 years Dominik consistently returns to his isolated cabin in the northern village of Atlin, British Columbia to paint and explore. This wild location borders the Yukon and Alaskan territories, which offer access to a diverse and spectacular ecosystem. This ever-changing and harsh environment provides Dominik with limitless inspiration as he journeys through the path of nature’s four seasons.
Dominik’s painting journeys are a wilderness experience based upon weeks of travelling rugged and barren lands to capture in plein air style the majesty of nature. His northern travels have inspired him to explore further and visit many of Earth’s last remaining wilderness areas. Some of the most extreme painting expeditions took him across continents and hemispheres such as Antarctica, High Arctic, Greenland, and Patagonia and most recently into the wilds of Namibia and South Africa. As we witness the disappearance of wilderness around the globe, Modlinski’s quest is to portray a need to preserve the beauty of our planet and inspire people to do so through his paintings, photographs, stories and videos.
When he is not travelling, Modlinski shares his art practice between his home on Vancouver Island, British Columbia and his cabin in Atlin, British Columbia. He also devotes his time to filming and creating his ongoing television series called ‘CHANGING LANDSCAPES’ where he and his best friend travel the world in the quest of adventure and painting locations which is currently running on SHAW television channel. When he is not painting Dominik follows his second passion, martial arts. He has been training for 25 years in various styles and currently holds a rank of 5th-degree black belt in Karate.
The artist’s work can be found in many private and corporate collections around the world. His work is also published by Nature’s Scene in Georgetown, ON.
CREDENTIALS:
EDUCATION: 1989 – 1993 Ontario College of Art, Drawing & Painting Diploma awarded with Honours.
SCHOLARSHIPS / GRANTS
- Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Scholarship, November 1994.
- David L. Stevenson Scholarship for Proficiency in Drawing & Painting, May 1993.
- Friends of O.C.A., Year Three, for Proficiency in Fine Art, May 1992.
MEMBERSHIPS
- Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour
- The Alberta Society of Artists
SOLO SHOWS
- “ Changing Landscapes “– Canada House Gallery, Banff, May 2016
- “ Horizons “– Canada House Gallery, Banff, May 2013
- “ 20 + 20 “ – Canada House Gallery, Banff, April 2011
- “ Painter’s Journeys “ – “ Elliott Louis Gallery “, Vancouver, October 2009
- ” Recent Works ” – John A. Libby Gallery, Toronto ON, November 2008
- “ Northern Journeys “ – Canada House Gallery, Banff, September 2004
- “ From Ocean to Icefields “ – Yukon Art Centre, Whitehorse YT, June 2004
- “ Wild Places ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, April 2001
- “ Discovering Algoma ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, October 1998
- ” Recent Works ” – Atlin Courthouse, Atlin BC, July 1998
- ” Recent Works ” – Atlin Courthouse, Atlin BC, July 1997
- ” Oil Paintings & Watercolours ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, November 1996
- ” Dynamics of Nature “- Bailey Bedard Studio Gallery & Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Toronto ON, September 1994
- ” Recent Paintings “- Gallery Pekao, Toronto ON, May 1994
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- ” New Work ” – Mountain Galleries, Whistler, BC., February, 2014
- “ Landscape Perspective “ – Water Works Gallery, Friday Harbour, WA, USA, June 2012
- “ Toadlena: A Trading Post Visited “ – Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ, USA, Nov 2011
- ” Wild and Sacred Places” – Mountain Galleries, Whistler, BC., March, 2011
- ” Patagonia” – Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB., April, 2008
- ” Alpine Club of Canada Centennial ” – Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB., October 2006
- ” Alpine Club of Canada Centennial ” – Whyte Museum, Banff, AB., October 2006
- ” Small Picture Show ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, December 2005
- ” Sense of Place” – Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB., September, 2005
- “ From Oceans to Icefields “ – Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse, June 2004
- ” Small Picture Show ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, November 2004
- “ Wonder of Water “ – Canada House Gallery, Banff, May 2003
- “ The International Year of Mountains “ – Canada House Gallery, Banff, May 2002
- “ Northern Arts Festival “ – Inuvik, NWT, July 2000
- ” Small Picture Show ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, November 1999
- ” 20th Anniversary ” – Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, November 1998
- ” CIBC Private Banking & Libby’ s of Toronto ” – CIBC Private Banking, Toronto ON, September 1998
- ” Reverence lost? ” – Wagner Rosenbaum Gallery, Toronto ON, August 1998
- Participation in ” Engage ‘ 98 “- Whitehorse Yukon, May 1998
- ” Points of View ” – Captain Martin House Gallery, Whitehorse YT, June 1998
- ” Worlds of Light “- Private Show, Toronto ON, February 1997
- Participation in” Taku Fine Art Auction ” – Vancouver BC, Public Library, March 1997
- ” Majestic Mountains “- Libby’s Art Gallery, Toronto ON, February 1996
- ” Painters & Sculptors Fifteen ” – 80 Spadina, Gallery 304, Arts Week, Toronto ON, September 1993
PUBLICATIONS
- Arabella Magazine – “ Artist to Collect – Dominik Modlinski “ autumn 2013
- MagazinArt – “ Dominik Modlinski, Have brush, Will travel “ winter 2008
- CTV interview – “ Artist aims to preserve endangered spaces “ Oct 27, 2008
- Article in the “ Magazine Art – “ Have Brush, Will Travel “, winter 2007/2008, no 78
- Article in the “ Rocky Mountain Outlook – “ Two Artists, same subject, different styles ” April 24, 2008
- Article in the “ Rocky Mountain Outlook – “ Artist voyages to southern oceans ” May 31, 2007
- Article in the “ The Yukon News – “ Artist thrives in inclement weather ” Jan. 10 2003
- Cover page of the “ Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine “, Volume 6, No. 3, summer 2001
- Article in the “ International Artist ” magazine – “ Visual excitement and Spiritual Connection “, No. 19, June/July 2001
- “ Interview with an Artist ” – CBC TV North, Whitehorse YT, Feb. 2001
- Oil painting chosen for the Unicef Christmas Card, 1998.
- “ Interview with an Artist ” – CFMT International, Toronto ON, May 1998
- Cover page of Taku Fine Art Auction Catalogue, March 1997.
- ” Interview with an Artist ” – Vision TV, Toronto ON, November 1996.
- ” Stein Valley – To Protect its Natural and Cultural Heritage “. Watercolour image chosen for the marketing poster.
- Published by Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Vancouver BC, September 1994.
- “ Interview with an Artist ” – CFMT International, Toronto ON, May 1994
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- Ongoing workshops in Alberta and British Columbia.
- Drawing and Painting instructor at North Mount Pleasant Art Centre, Calgary, AB, 2002 – 2003
- Guest art teacher, instructor and wilderness guide at Atlin Art Center, Atlin, B.C, 1995 – 2000
- Chief instructor of the Atlin Martial Arts Center, Atlin, B.C. – teaching karate to children and adults, 1998 – 2001
- Assistant instructor at the downtown YMCA Karate Club, Toronto, 1993 – 1995
ARTIST RESIDENCES
- Dechenla Lodge , NWT, August 2010
- Hakai Beach Institute , Great Bear Rainforest, BC, May 2010
- Artist in residence on board ice-strengthened, “ Lyubov Orlova “, Antarctica, February 2007
- Artist in residence on board Russian Icebreaker “ Kapitan Khlebnikov”, Eastern Arctic, September 2006
- Numtijah Bow Lake Lodge, Banff National Park, Alberta, 2003- 2005
- Algoma School of landscape Arts, Algoma, Ontario, 1992 – 1994
SELECTED PRIVATE AND CORPORATE COLECTIONS
- Lance Amstrong- Winner of the Tour de France
- Pat Quinn – Toronto Maple Leafs
- Husky Injection Mouldings
- Altamira Investments Inc
- Magna Ltd.
- Husky Injection Mouldings
- MVS Solutions
- Nature’s Scene
- Art of The Traderhorn
- Varughese Production Inc.
- Lawrence & Company
- Burgandy Asset Management