The Sunshine Coast, specifically the northern Sunshine Coast, is home to an abundance of artists. It’s no surprise a majority of painters brush what they observe of the natural beauty of the coast.
Internationally exhibited professional painter Lez Niepo, who has a studio south of Powell River, is a little bit out of the ordinary and his work exemplifies that. Following in the footsteps of modern, abstract European and American expressionists such as Picasso, Pollock and de Kooning, Niepo uses large canvases, geometric shapes and finds inspiration from his travels overseas.
“I have over 100 paintings in my studio right now,” said Niepo.
His studio was once an old welding garage with a cement floor. Now it radiates with natural light and the bold colours Niepo uses on his canvases pop with reds, yellows and sometimes muted abstract shapes and shades.
“If I am inspired to do art work, or play music, I am free to do that,” said Niepo. “Everything is ready to go, so I can easily access my brushes or my guitar.”
In the past he joined studio tours on the lower coast and had a solo show at Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt, when he lived in Halfmoon Bay. His work has been shown in galleries in Europe, San Francisco and Hawaii, but he hasn’t found much interest from galleries here in the qathet region.
“My work may not be suitable to this area [Sunshine Coast], my work is a bit radical, tribal and influenced by my travels.”
Niepo, who is also a qigong practitioner and musician, travels every year to Southeast Asia, and the far reaches of the South Pacific islands of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, to get recharged. When he returns he is ready to create.
“My painting is subconscious,” said Niepo. ‘I just go to the canvas and [painting] just comes to be.”
Niepo and his wife Eva moved here from Halfmoon Bay, on the lower Sunshine Coast, more than 10 years ago because they found the perfect house, with enough space for Niepo to pursue his painting. They transformed the outside grounds into a designed garden landscape and a creek runs through the property attracting birds and wildlife.
“I am from an artist family; my uncle and grandfather, they were painters,” said Niepo. “My uncle had a studio that I would visit; I also studied painting and lino print while in Europe.”
Niepo moved from Europe to Canada in the 1970s, landing in Toronto, and then moved out west with Eva, ending up in Halfmoon Bay, where they lived for 35 years.
“It’s my last chance,” said Niepo. “I’m 73 years old and I want to try and attract attention to my work.”
He invites those who might be curious about his studio and art, and those who want to acquire original paintings to contact him for a tour. He is also considering an open-house event before he sells his property, but there is no set date yet. Niepo can be contacted at 604.487.0825 or artifactscollectables.com.
Join the Peak’s email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
