Technically, you could say Sam Siegel is an artist by profession. One could even say his work follows in the footsteps of Canada’s famed ‘Group of Seven’. And yes, his paintings, inspired by BC’s spectacular vistas, have undoubtedly captured the hearts of scores of Vancouverites. But if you asked the man himself, Sam would tell you that he’s really just an explorer by profession. That’s because he lives his life following his two greatest passions. One is his love for hiking and exploring BC’s mountain wilderness. His other great passion is, in a sense, also a kind of ‘exploring’. That’s because he is constantly exploring ways to capture the sublime nature of his wilderness excursions in his paintings.

Born right here in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sam Siegel says he was always interested in art, ever since he can remember. In his early years, his teachers recognized his special artistic talents, and encouraged him. Then later, he became interested in hiking and camping, especially in the ‘out of the way’ back-woods mountain areas of the region. And that’s when he became hooked on the magic and majesty that he would invariably find as a reward for the challenge of these excursions. It became self-evident that his mission as an artist, would be to to capture that same feeling in his paintings.

Sam says his paintings are really a natural extension of his interest in hiking and camping. “I’ve always loved being outdoors, and exploring wilderness environments. For me, my painting is just another way I can explore the world. I would say, I’m really just trying to recreate the same magical feeling that I experience when I’m at the top of some mountain cliff. I’m always finding new techniques and nuances that I hope will help me achieve that feeling. And if my paintings can be an opportunity for other people to feel that same kind of thing, that’s why I do it.”