Jennifer Hornyak

“Regardless of my intentions, the final shape of each flowerpot is a direct reflection of my mood. The objects may be the same, but how I paint them entirely depends on how I feel about the world that day.”

A painter born in England and based in Montreal, Jennifer Hornyak makes colourful, textured canvases that sit between figuration and abstraction. She draws on the world around her to create work that is both intimate and universal. Through colour and texture, each of her paintings gives rise to a still life motif.

At Galerie de Bellefeuille, we present a selection of her most sought-after works, from her floral still lifes to her large-scale semi-abstract compositions.

Colour, Texture and the Still Life

The work of Jennifer Hornyak starts with simple subjects: a vase, a few flowers, a pot on a table. But colour quickly takes over. In a Jennifer Hornyak painting, pale and deep tones layer over one another until they form a vibrant space around the flowers.

Her spontaneous brushwork and undiluted colour recall the Fauve painters of a century ago. This use of the flower as a way into colour connects her to other artists at the gallery, such as T.M. Glass's floral still lifes.

The Floral Still Life

Her floral paintings are perhaps her most loved. Around the bouquets and single stems, the empty space matters as much as the flowers. Titles such as Yellow Bloom, Tulips with Black Vase and Pink Pieces show her attachment to a mood of colour rather than to botanical accuracy.

Between Figuration and Abstraction

In her larger formats, Jennifer Hornyak pushes further toward abstraction. Forms loosen, edges soften, and it is colour that organizes the canvas.

This is where her love of pure colour is clearest, a sensibility she shares with Heidi Spector's vibrant colour, even though Hornyak's painting stays gestural and hand-worked.

Collecting Jennifer Hornyak

A Jennifer Hornyak painting changes with the daylight. Intimate in scale yet strong in feeling, her work is held in numerous private and public collections, the result of a career spanning more than forty years.

Those drawn to her reworking of the still life will also appreciate James Lahey's still lifes, another Canadian artist who renews traditional subjects. To discover Jennifer Hornyak's art for sale, our team welcomes you in Montreal and Toronto.

Career Highlights

Born in England, Jennifer Hornyak studied at the Grimsby School of Art before settling in Canada.
She has painted for more than forty years, exhibiting across North America and at international art fairs.
Her work pairs a still life motif with rich colour and texture.
Her paintings are held in numerous private and public collections.
She lives and works in Montreal.

Notable Exhibitions

Solo and group presentations at Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montreal and Toronto.
Exhibitions in North American galleries over more than forty years.
Presentations at leading international art fairs.

Download Artist's CV