Sopa Fine Arts is thrilled to announce the new representation of acclaimed Canadian painter David Tycho (b. Vancouver). Tycho blends abstraction and representation in a dynamic practice that spans continents and styles, showcased in his upcoming exhibition at Sopa Fine Arts in Kelowna, in Fall 2025.
David Tycho is represented internationally and has exhibited in prestigious venues, including New York, Los Angeles, Milan, Singapore, and Toronto. His paintings grace collections worldwide and are held by galleries like Sopa Fine Arts in Kelowna, Canada, The Christopher Hill Gallery in Napa Valley, USA, and Paul Stewart Gallery in Paris, France. His work has been spotlighted in interviews on radio, television, and in print media, alongside earning him a Canadian Literary Award for his writing on art and travel. The artist currently lives and works in Vancouver, his hometown.
David Tycho’s artistic journey began at the University of British Columbia, where he trained under renowned Canadian artist Gordon Smith. He started with a unique take on figurative expressionism, but a move to Japan in 1984 opened new doors. There, he discovered Shodo—calligraphic art by Zen monks—whose loose, abstract strokes inspired him. Combined with influences from abstract giants like Robert Motherwell and Franz Kline, this experience propelled him into abstraction by 1990.
Over the years, David Tycho’s art has mirrored the places he’s explored. In the mid-90s, he roamed California deserts and British Columbia rainforests, letting their raw hues and forms shape his canvases into a blend of landscape and abstraction. A 2011 trip to Asia birthed his Japan Series, featuring recognizable Japanese motifs, while his urban works from 2012 to 2016 captured the allure and alienation of city life. His 2017 *Fire and Rain* series, inspired by a 9,000 km solo trek across western North America, paints a semi-abstract tale of that journey.
Now, David Tycho thrives on the edge of abstraction and reality. He begins with a photograph or memory, then unleashes acrylic paint with brushes, palette knives, or even sticks, creating works that hum with energy. Beyond the canvas, he’s ventured into photography and digital composites, printing layered images on aluminum that fuse traditional and modern techniques into something fresh.
The art of David Tycho stirs a sense of adventure, nostalgia, and boundless curiosity. Drawing from Zen calligraphy, Abstract Expressionism, and the wild pulse of nature, he crafts a visual world that’s distinctly his own. His paintings—whether tracing a forest’s curve or a city’s shadow—pull us into his travels and emotions, transformed into vivid, intuitive scenes.
David Tycho’s career reflects his relentless drive. Since his first solo show in Vancouver in 1993, he’s exhibited globally, from Brussels to Manila, and even illuminated 22 digital billboards across Canada in the “Paint the City Project.” His work teeters between the familiar and the abstract, revealing what he calls the “yin and yang” of life. Alongside painting, his award-winning writing on art, society, and wilderness adds another layer to his creative voice.
Sopa Fine Arts is honored to showcase David Tycho’s remarkable journey in Kelowna this Fall 2025. His art invites us to explore—with him—through forests, cities, and the spaces in between, balancing the real and the imagined with every stroke. Join us to step into his world, where paint tells stories of a life unbound.
CLICK HERE TO BE ADDED TO DAVID TYCHO’S SPECIAL INTEREST LIST
March 16, 2025