Lawrence House Centre for the Arts
Artist Spotlight: Ian McLean
August, 2026
What inspired you to pursue art in the first place?
I had grandparents on both sides who painted, and I inherited boxes of oil paints, brushes, and books when I was likely far too young for them—around six or seven. I essentially taught myself how to paint in oils back then. Growing up in a relatively isolated, rural area, access to discount grocery store art books exposed me to the greats: Manet, Degas, Matisse, Titian, and others.
Later, visiting art museums on school field trips opened my world to experiencing art up close, and I was completely hooked. I went on to study painting at the University of Guelph under powerhouses in the Canadian art world like Suzy Lake, Tony Scherman, and Lynn Donoghue, all of whom had a profound influence on me. That experience confirmed that art was the path I wanted to pursue, and I have managed to exhibit my work steadily ever since.
Have you ever reinterpreted your own work after creating it?
Not directly with my own hands—other than occasionally painting over an older piece that no longer felt right, though I don’t know if that counts! However, a former student of mine who was studying textiles once rendered several of my paintings into needlepoint for a project. Seeing my work translated into a completely different medium was fascinating.
That said, I have reinterpreted someone else's work. Years ago, I was commissioned by the former Gallery Lambton to respond to a piece from their permanent collection. I chose Tom Thomson’s Chill November and embedded it as a wall mural inside one of my retro living room environments. I wanted to honour Thomson while giving his pervasive influence a 21st-century context. Getting to spend time alone with Chill November in the gallery vault was deeply moving—just me and Tom.
Are there hidden symbols or stories in your pieces?
I wouldn’t say they’re hidden symbols, but I definitely play with metaphor and suggested narratives. For me, architecture represents order while everything we might associate with home - shelter, memory, comfort, aspiration, and stability - plays a key role in my work.
Lately, I’ve used unexpected colours to suggest a sense of disruption or a shifted memory of a place. The natural environments around these homes are just as intentional. Channeling Turner’s 19th-century depictions of the sublime, I love depicting nature as occasionally unpredictable or untamed. I often contrast that wildness with human attempts at control—like manicured lawns, shaped shrubs, or swimming pools. Nature always wins, though! At their core, my paintings explore, through metaphor, the boundary between the things we can control and the things we cannot.
How do you balance abstract and realistic elements in your work?
I wouldn’t call myself an abstract painter, though I certainly have my moments of shifting colours and stripping away unnecessary detail. What I really love is the physical, tactile act of painting. As an oil painter, I want to push the medium to its limits—whether that means smearing, dripping, glazing, scraping, or laying down thick impasto.
To me, those marks are inherently abstract and carry meaning as well. The real joy—and the personal challenge—is seeing how I can merge those visceral, painterly qualities with representation. It’s about striking a balance: indulging in the pure sensory joy of paint, but anchoring it with a stabilizing sense of place and form.
How do you balance creativity with the business side of art?
For many of us, art is very much a profession, and you have to treat it that way. It’s a unique career path because you need room for study, creative expression, artistic development, and even daydreaming. But to sustain it professionally, you also need the discipline to manage the business side: documenting work, applying for grants, writing statements, balancing spreadsheets, communicating with galleries, crating and delivering paintings, and meeting strict deadlines.
If you’re disorganized or unreliable, things fall apart pretty quickly. I think the idea that artists are flaky misfits is largely a myth—though I certainly have my moments! Ultimately, it’s about understanding and embracing every facet of the job. Being a professional artist is about so much more than just making the work.
What’s the best way to build a strong reputation in the art world?
First and foremost, it’s about striving to produce the highest quality work you can. You should aim for technical proficiency with your medium while constantly pushing your boundaries—thematically, visually, and conceptually. We all want to engage with artwork that is compelling. Finding a truly original voice and avoiding derivative work is tough, but it’s a standard worth setting for yourself.
From there, it’s about putting your work out into the world, whether in a local café or a community space like the Lawrence House. Once you build momentum, challenge yourself to show beyond your home town. Regional juried exhibitions—where you’re a total unknown—are fantastic for this. They're also a great way to build resilience against rejection. Trust me, it happens to all of us, but perseverance is key; you just keep working and moving forward.
I’ve been fortunate to exhibit in commercial galleries, artist-run centres, and public galleries over the years, but that only comes from decades of steady dedication. This fall I’ve been invited to a two-month residency at The Pouch Cove Foundation in Newfoundland to develop a new body of work. That will culminate in a solo exhibition at James Baird Gallery in Newfoundland next spring—my first major solo show outside of Ontario. It just goes to show that—even at my age—the art profession continues to surprise and excite me.
Artist Spotlight: Ian McLean
August, 2026
What inspired you to pursue art in the first place?
I had grandparents on both sides who painted, and I inherited boxes of oil paints, brushes, and books when I was likely far too young for them—around six or seven. I essentially taught myself how to paint in oils back then. Growing up in a relatively isolated, rural area, access to discount grocery store art books exposed me to the greats: Manet, Degas, Matisse, Titian, and others.
Later, visiting art museums on school field trips opened my world to experiencing art up close, and I was completely hooked. I went on to study painting at the University of Guelph under powerhouses in the Canadian art world like Suzy Lake, Tony Scherman, and Lynn Donoghue, all of whom had a profound influence on me. That experience confirmed that art was the path I wanted to pursue, and I have managed to exhibit my work steadily ever since.
Have you ever reinterpreted your own work after creating it?
Not directly with my own hands—other than occasionally painting over an older piece that no longer felt right, though I don’t know if that counts! However, a former student of mine who was studying textiles once rendered several of my paintings into needlepoint for a project. Seeing my work translated into a completely different medium was fascinating.
That said, I have reinterpreted someone else's work. Years ago, I was commissioned by the former Gallery Lambton to respond to a piece from their permanent collection. I chose Tom Thomson’s Chill November and embedded it as a wall mural inside one of my retro living room environments. I wanted to honour Thomson while giving his pervasive influence a 21st-century context. Getting to spend time alone with Chill November in the gallery vault was deeply moving—just me and Tom.
Are there hidden symbols or stories in your pieces?
I wouldn’t say they’re hidden symbols, but I definitely play with metaphor and suggested narratives. For me, architecture represents order while everything we might associate with home - shelter, memory, comfort, aspiration, and stability - plays a key role in my work.
Lately, I’ve used unexpected colours to suggest a sense of disruption or a shifted memory of a place. The natural environments around these homes are just as intentional. Channeling Turner’s 19th-century depictions of the sublime, I love depicting nature as occasionally unpredictable or untamed. I often contrast that wildness with human attempts at control—like manicured lawns, shaped shrubs, or swimming pools. Nature always wins, though! At their core, my paintings explore, through metaphor, the boundary between the things we can control and the things we cannot.
How do you balance abstract and realistic elements in your work?
I wouldn’t call myself an abstract painter, though I certainly have my moments of shifting colours and stripping away unnecessary detail. What I really love is the physical, tactile act of painting. As an oil painter, I want to push the medium to its limits—whether that means smearing, dripping, glazing, scraping, or laying down thick impasto.
To me, those marks are inherently abstract and carry meaning as well. The real joy—and the personal challenge—is seeing how I can merge those visceral, painterly qualities with representation. It’s about striking a balance: indulging in the pure sensory joy of paint, but anchoring it with a stabilizing sense of place and form.
How do you balance creativity with the business side of art?
For many of us, art is very much a profession, and you have to treat it that way. It’s a unique career path because you need room for study, creative expression, artistic development, and even daydreaming. But to sustain it professionally, you also need the discipline to manage the business side: documenting work, applying for grants, writing statements, balancing spreadsheets, communicating with galleries, crating and delivering paintings, and meeting strict deadlines.
If you’re disorganized or unreliable, things fall apart pretty quickly. I think the idea that artists are flaky misfits is largely a myth—though I certainly have my moments! Ultimately, it’s about understanding and embracing every facet of the job. Being a professional artist is about so much more than just making the work.
What’s the best way to build a strong reputation in the art world?
First and foremost, it’s about striving to produce the highest quality work you can. You should aim for technical proficiency with your medium while constantly pushing your boundaries—thematically, visually, and conceptually. We all want to engage with artwork that is compelling. Finding a truly original voice and avoiding derivative work is tough, but it’s a standard worth setting for yourself.
From there, it’s about putting your work out into the world, whether in a local café or a community space like the Lawrence House. Once you build momentum, challenge yourself to show beyond your home town. Regional juried exhibitions—where you’re a total unknown—are fantastic for this. They're also a great way to build resilience against rejection. Trust me, it happens to all of us, but perseverance is key; you just keep working and moving forward.
I’ve been fortunate to exhibit in commercial galleries, artist-run centres, and public galleries over the years, but that only comes from decades of steady dedication. This fall I’ve been invited to a two-month residency at The Pouch Cove Foundation in Newfoundland to develop a new body of work. That will culminate in a solo exhibition at James Baird Gallery in Newfoundland next spring—my first major solo show outside of Ontario. It just goes to show that—even at my age—the art profession continues to surprise and excite me.