The Expressive Art of Sami Suomalainen: Permanent Exhibit
The Sami Suomalainen Collection
1941-2019
Here is Sami’s story, from start to finish, on an international journey to discover a new life in Canada and a passion for art that lasted him until his final days. He is remembered by his loved ones and by those his paintings have touched.
About Sami
Sami Suomalainen (December 30 1941 – September 13, 2019) was one of Canada’s most prolific and gifted modern artists, whose work included landscapes, commissioned portraits, book and periodical illustrations. Sami’s satirical illustrations have been published in a number of leading news journals but he is best loved for his illustrations in numerous children’s books which have been sold worldwide in all major languages.
Sami : A Life in Art – The Artistic Journey of a Canadian Visionary
Sami’s Journey
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December 30, 1941
- Sami was born in Tuupovaara, Finland, the younger son of Otso Suomalainen and Helvi Sippola.
- Sami exhibited his artistic talent at an early age, winning his first prize as an artist at the age of four from the Fazer Company.
- Following his graduation from high school, he completed his art education in Helsinki.
1960s – September 13, 2019
- He spent some time as a seaman on Finnish and Norwegian merchant ships before immigrating to Canada in the mid-1960’s.
- He settled in Toronto, where he attended Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).
- Following university he worked as a full-time artist and illustrator. In 1966, he married his wife June, who predeceased him in July, 2019.
Sami’s Art
Sami’s artistic style is impressionistic and he was adept at using a wide variety of artistic mediums to create his work, including wood, photography, pen and ink, oils, watercolours and acrylics.
Sami’s paintings are in numerous important art collections in North America, Europe and Scandinavia and in the Art Collection of the Library and Archives Canada.
Inspiration
Sami admired the work of many different artists yet has managed to create a style all his own, which is flexible yet confident enough to capture a concept he is currently exploring. This is the advice he gives to aspiring artists: “Be true to yourself, and believe in yourself. Don’t try to imitate others, use your own personal creativity.”
Documentation
Sami has been the subject of three documentary films by the Finnish National Television and Radio Association in Helsinki, Finland, Rogers Cable Television in co-operation with the Canadian Multicultural Program in Toronto, Ontario and Yleisradio Oy, the Finnish national public broadcasting company.
The Estate
The Estate of Sami Suomalainen is dedicated to preserving the artistic legacy of this iconic and extraordinarily gifted Canadian artist. To see a few examples of Sami’s many expressionistic styles, click on the categories at the left.
We are also pleased to be able to offer selected paintings and illustrations from Sami’s personal collection for sale through our online gallery. For more information about our current offerings, please click on the tab to the left.
