“It is better to paint for one minute a day than to think about it for 24 hours a day,” says Canadian artist Andrew McDermott. “One learns more in that one minute of painting than in thinking about it for 24 hours.” The Vancouver-based painter wanders city streets, soaking up the inspiration around him in the people, places and architecture he observes. He’s been painting urban scenes for years, particularly rainy evening and night scenes, which lend a signature shiny glow to his paintings.
Sunset Palms, pastel, 15½ x 14"“I love color and clashing with low-key hues against moments of vibrancy,” says the artist, who works in both pastel and acrylic. “I also love layering over bright colors and building up local colors and paint thicknesses to create subtle texturing. In addition, my goal is to paint moody and to create a sense of space in that moment.”
Rain on Oak Street, pastel, 16 x 12"
Wet Day on Dunbar, acrylic on canvas, 8 x 17"A symphony of blues, purples and pinks, his pastel Rain on Oak Street captures the brightness of car lights and buildings on a wet city street. In his acrylic Hong Kong Shopping, citygoers shop for food and wares at a night market, with lanterns glowing in the backdrop. Whether he’s painting cars in a downpour of rain or pedestrians moving about their day, McDermott’s paintings exude energy and vibrancy.
Busy Crosswalk, pastel, 20 x 16"
Hong Kong Shopping, acrylic on black watercolor paper, 10½ x 12½"
Laundry Day, acrylic on canvas, 9½ x 16½"
“[I] just hope the viewer gets the intent of what my viewpoint with my visualization and interpretations are,” says McDermott. “I have never given up on painting and drawing; I believe in always following your passion.”
McDermott is the past president and a senior member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and has won numerous art awards in both Canada and the United States. His recent personal favorite is the Eminent Pastelist Medallion from International Association of Pastel Societies, which will be presented in New Mexico in 2026. He’s also a popular workshop instructor, giving demonstrations and lessons at many educational facilities, as well as a figure drawing instructor for the illustration and animation department at Capilano University in British Columbia, and for the animation departments at the Vancouver Film School and Think Tank. McDermott’s work was also recently exhibited in the sixth China International Pastel Biennial Exhibition this past October.
To view more works from the artist as well as learn about his workshops and other projects, visit www.mcdermott-art.com. —
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