Paul Jorgensen

Paul Jorgensen was born in 1947 in Tofino and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia. After graduating from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in the early 1970s, he spent some time travelling in Europe, the influence of the Tuscan landscape evident in his artwork. Over the next 30 years, Jorgensen worked at everything from running a tropical plant store to owning a restaurant, painting after hours. Along the way, support and mentorship came from fellow mid-Island artists Grant Leier and Nixie Barton. Leier offered encouragement and put Jorgensen in touch with the West End Gallery, which sold the first three paintings he brought to their Victoria gallery within a week. Jorgensen is now happy and humbled to be painting full-time, considering himself an "overnight success that took 55 years". Collectors appreciate the freshness of his artwork with its winning combination of fantasy, colour, and confidence. Paul Jorgensen's artwork has been available for purchase at the West End Gallery since 2001.

"My paintings are not intended to be a serious view of the world. I like work that involves imagination and technique and that suggests stories. I just want to make people happy looking at my paintings." - Paul Jorgensen