British Columbia artist, Gary McDonald was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and grew up in a time when the local art scene flourished under the likes of Ernest Lindner, Wynona Mulcaster, Otto Rogers and William Pereheudoff, all of whom he knew and two of whom he studied under. An early career as a commercial artist lasted five years until he entered the business world. The ensuing 20 years brought success as a real estate executive, but left little time for art. Gary’s interest in painting was re-kindled in 1986 when he took an art class at the University of British Columbia to complete his requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree.
He continued his studies on a part-time basis, having been accepted into the Fine Arts programs at both UBC and Okanagan University College. In January 1992, he formally retired from business in order to pursue his aspirations as a fine artist.
As an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Gary is involved in the arts community and has attended and organized workshops under the auspices of the Federation.
Paintings by Gary McDonald have been displayed at the Federation Gallery on Granville Island in Vancouver, the Tutt St. Gallery in Kelowna and in several FCA juried shows in Victoria and the Fraser Valley as well as numerous independent shows in the South Surrey/White Rock and Fraser Valley areas. Gary and his wife Helene moved to Abbotsford in 2016.
