Keith Hiscock

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Keith Hiscock was born in Victoria, B.C. and has been working as a professional artist since 1974.

He knew from age 17 that he wanted to be an artist and at 18 he headed east to explore Montreal and Toronto. There, he discovered the works of American artists such as Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper. He also re-discovered the Canadian Group of Seven and Alex Colville.

Keith returned to Victoria after about six years, by now working full-time at his calling. He longed for the west coast with its ever changing weather, related vistas and rich scent of the salty sea air.

The Pacific Northwest, a region unlike any other in the world, has played an important role in the inspiration of Keith’s work. From earlier explorations into abstract art to his present day representational realism, this self-taught artist’s work displays a unique style.

In his early work Keith was using mostly watercolour depicting rural and coastal scenes. Evolving he moved into larger works in acrylic on panel and canvas. His technician-like attention to detail, combined with a subject matter that derives its power from its overall simplicity, creates a personal participation by all who are drawn into Keith’s canvases. Out of this seeming contradiction emerges an image that grabs the viewer’s attention, invites him or her into the setting and then encourages the mind to contemplate the meaning of the moment.

In the 2000s Keith began to paint outdoors on location and the switch from acrylics to oils became a necessity. Working en plein air allows a faster and looser approach to painting. Outside, the tiny details aren’t important but capturing the essence of time and place is. To get all the pertinent information recorded effectively in one sitting improved his power of observation and has enhanced his ability in the studio.

Keith was an artist in residence at the prestigious event “Painters at Painters” since its inception in 1994 in Campbell River, B.C.