The Nautical World of Graham Herbert

Graham grew up in Calgary in a family in love with sailing. He and his father built many sailboats and sailed on the lakes of Alberta, so, it was only natural that he would be drawn to the ocean and live out his days on the West Coast. Graham also grew up surrounded by drawing and painting and although he moved to Vancouver in his early twenties to work around boats and do more sailing, he became more interested in painting the West Coast Seascape. He studied art at the Emily Carr College of Art and later at the Victoria College of Art. Most of Graham’s techniques, however, have resulted from years of experimentation and innovation. 

Graham became fascinated with the bold compositional possibilities of nature and beach rocks which gave him endless material for powerful yet tranquil paintings. Recently his love of boats and painting have come together. These colourful, happy images represent a return to the simplicity of childhood and the joy children take in representing the things they love. Graham infuses his paintings with peace and tranquility, imaginary worlds full of exciting colours, funky buildings and classic boats floating on reflecting waters.

September 2023

The West Coast of Canada is both home and inspiration for Graham. Investigating the transition from land to sea and sky, his paintings are the resulting interplay of lines and colours. Graham works in a skylit studio nestled in the trees on Hornby Island. Here he distills the images and impressions he gathers on his travels to the many wonderful waterfront communities around the world.

Graham Herbert in his studio, Sept '23

Graham is the exemplary "renaissance man", highly skilled at whatever art or craft he turns his hand to. He builds exquisitely detailed model boats to scale and has made musical instruments, including at least 7 harps! (He doesn't keep track of these things.) He and Gloria, the love of his life, also built his studio and the house where they live out their dreams. Unfettered by convention, the house is fashioned out of driftwood and recycled lumber, reflecting the same joyful aesthetic seen in his paintings. It's hard to know where the man ends and the art begins, it is not just something he can do, he lives it.

After three decades of exhibiting in numerous major venues including The Victoria Public Art Gallery, and having his paintings placed in private and corporate collections across the world, Graham became a highly accomplished and sought after artist. Some bad experiences caused Graham to fall out of love with the art world (we won't go into that) and he hasn't exhibited his paintings seriously since 2008. He sells almost everything he paints privately to his many followers and collectors, and since 2005 has published many fine art giclée prints, originally with Mima Fine Art Publishers and now with it's reincarnation, Print Art Photography CA. Mima were selling in the Bay for 3 years (Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo) and Graham was usually the top selling artist. That all ended in 2010 after the Bay was bought by American investors and they ejected 80% of the local vendors. (We won't go into that either.)

The house that Graham & Gloria built, in the forest on Hornby Island

The prints were then redistributed to upwards of 30 galleries throughout B.C. and everywhere, the remarkable sales of Graham's prints continued to demonstrate the lasting appeal of his style. But gradually, the rise of the internet has been changing the way people buy art, until now when over 60% is bought online, causing the closure of so many high street galleries. Only 3 of the 30+ galleries remain selling Graham's prints; the Village Gallery in Sidney, The Salish Sea Market in Bowser and (welcome back!) Yellowbird Arts in Nanaimo. Which brings us to this... We've talked about it for 6 years, now finally all of Graham's work can be bought online through his own website.
​And it's about time!

Mark Prior, Sept 24, 2023