Kirk Sutherland: Toronto Synesthete Painter Featured by Artsy Shark
Kirk Sutherland, a Scottish artist born in Canada and based in Toronto, was highlighted in an Artsy Shark article released on September 10, 2026. A synesthete, he earned his degree with distinction from OCAD University in 1991 and has had a remarkable 35-year international exhibition career. His acrylic pieces, such as "At the Violet Gates of Polarity," "Anahat," "Lantana," "Hatha," "Cepheid," "Stained Poetry," "Purpledusk Syndicate," "Locked Door Behind the Sun," and "Cosmic Yardstick," are part of collections around the globe. Drawing inspiration from the New York School, abstract expressionism, and artists like Hans Hofmann and Henri Matisse, Sutherland also has experience in Hollywood, public art, and album cover design. The profile features links to his website and social media.
Key facts
- Kirk Sutherland is a Toronto-based, Canadian-born, Scottish artist.
- He graduated with high honors from OCAD University in 1991, majoring in Contemporary Art and Drawing and Painting.
- He has exhibited internationally for 35 years and is a renowned colorist born with synesthesia.
- His acrylic paintings are in private, public, and corporate collections globally.
- Featured works include "At the Violet Gates of Polarity," "Anahat," "Lantana," "Hatha," "Cepheid," "Stained Poetry," "Purpledusk Syndicate," "Locked Door Behind the Sun," and "Cosmic Yardstick."
- His influences include the New York School, abstract expressionism, Color Field, lyrical abstraction, Impressionism, Orphism, Fauvism, and Dadaism.
- Artistic influences include Hans Hofmann, Henri Matisse, Helen Frankenthaler, Claude Monet, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Marc Chagall, Barnett Newman, Richard Diebenkorn, and Marcel Duchamp.
- He has worked in the Hollywood film industry, created public art and site-specific installations, and designed album covers for the music industry.
Entities
Artists
- Kirk Sutherland
- Hans Hofmann
- Henri Matisse
- Helen Frankenthaler
- Claude Monet
- Paul Klee
- Wassily Kandinsky
- Marc Chagall
- Barnett Newman
- Richard Diebenkorn
- Marcel Duchamp
- Jack Bush
- Paul Sloggett
- Daniel Solomon
- Jim Tiley
- Robert Hedrick
- Graham Coughtry
- Gordon Rayner
- Francois Thepot
Institutions
- Artsy Shark
- Ontario College of Art and Design University
- OCADU
- Painters Eleven
- Les Automatistes
- Nouveaux Plasticiens
Locations
- Toronto
- Canada
- Scotland
- New York
- Montreal