Gillian Lahav
Gillian Lahav is an emerging, self-taught oil painter and gilder based in Toronto. She traded her desk for an easel at the end of 2022 and released her first collection of paintings in late summer 2023. Gillian has found exciting early success, exhibiting and joining private collections in Canada and the US, and receiving honourable mention in her first juried exhibit.
Gillian is a member of Workman Arts, a multidisciplinary arts organization that promotes a greater understanding of mental health and addiction issues through creation and presentation.
Gillian’s work is available on gillianlahav.com and on Instagram at @gillianlahav.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
My paintings are inspired by magic in the natural world, featuring slumbering animals and lush plants set in golden light.
Working out of an Edwardian home full of plants and sleepy house cats, I paint on locally made wood panels, layering oils and metal leaf over exposed wood grain to achieve organic scenes with lots of movement. A hiker and former archaeologist, I look to wild plants, antique treasures, and sleepy house cats for rich colours and compositions that speak to me.
My first series, Golden Hour, invites rest and indulgence, referencing feminine figures in Art Nouveau, the rich warmth of Klimt's Golden Phase, and the mysticism of Pre-Raphaelite dream scenes.
I hope this imagery will evoke for viewers the rich warmth and energy of golden hour, that fleeting time of day when the sun casts its most magical spell.
Gillian Lahav is an emerging, self-taught oil painter and gilder based in Toronto. She traded her desk for an easel at the end of 2022 and released her first collection of paintings in late summer 2023. Gillian has found exciting early success, exhibiting and joining private collections in Canada and the US, and receiving honourable mention in her first juried exhibit.
Gillian is a member of Workman Arts, a multidisciplinary arts organization that promotes a greater understanding of mental health and addiction issues through creation and presentation.
Gillian’s work is available on gillianlahav.com and on Instagram at @gillianlahav.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
My paintings are inspired by magic in the natural world, featuring slumbering animals and lush plants set in golden light.
Working out of an Edwardian home full of plants and sleepy house cats, I paint on locally made wood panels, layering oils and metal leaf over exposed wood grain to achieve organic scenes with lots of movement. A hiker and former archaeologist, I look to wild plants, antique treasures, and sleepy house cats for rich colours and compositions that speak to me.
My first series, Golden Hour, invites rest and indulgence, referencing feminine figures in Art Nouveau, the rich warmth of Klimt's Golden Phase, and the mysticism of Pre-Raphaelite dream scenes.
I hope this imagery will evoke for viewers the rich warmth and energy of golden hour, that fleeting time of day when the sun casts its most magical spell.
$7,300.00
Oil and metal leaf on wood panel.
36x48x2.25"
Languid lionesses rest among sun-kissed ferns in this dreamy cuddle puddle. Glimmering gold embraces them in its warmth.
The 2.25" deep sides of this original oil painting on custom wood panel are gilded with metal leaf and gleam from all angles. No frame required!
$5,500.00
Oil and metal leaf on wood panel.
36x36x2"
Drenched in radiant light, lionesses luxuriate in the warmth and comfort of their pride.
The 1.6" deep sides of this original oil painting on wood panel are gilded with metal leaf and gleam from all angles. No frame required!