Veteran Montreal artist returns to Galerie ERGA with a collection reflecting on change, memory and selfhood
Montreal visual artist Bob Venafro is set to unveil his latest solo exhibition, About Time, at Galerie ERGA, presenting a new body of work that examines the relationship between landscape, identity and the passage of time through richly textured oil paintings.
Running from June 30 to July 5, the exhibition marks Venafro’s sixth solo presentation at the Montreal gallery and showcases a series of forest and seascape works created using his distinctive palette knife technique. The exhibition’s vernissage will take place on July 2 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
At 75, Venafro continues to expand a practice that has earned recognition among collectors across North America, Europe and Oceania. The new exhibition reflects on themes that have long informed his work, including change, memory and the fleeting nature of experience.
A Reflection on Time and Transformation
The title About Time carries multiple meanings, according to the artist. Rather than focusing on chronology, the exhibition explores time as lived experience — moments of stillness, transition and reflection.
“About Time is all about change. It is about being flexible. Time is a commodity that lives in us. And we choose how we spend it,” offered Venafro.
The exhibition introduces a collection titled Ipseity, which examines concepts of selfhood and presence. Through expansive landscapes and heavily layered surfaces, Venafro investigates how identity develops over time and how personal experience shapes perception.
The works explore contrasts between permanence and impermanence, past and present, inviting viewers to consider their own relationship with change. The collection represents a continuation of the artist’s ongoing inquiry into both the external landscape and the internal emotional terrain it reflects.
A Late Start to an International Artistic Career
Although now recognized as a professional visual artist with an international audience, Venafro did not begin painting seriously until later in life.
Before pursuing art full-time, he spent two decades working in health and social services as a social worker and later as a director. He subsequently built a career in financial services, helping young clients plan for their futures.
The transition to painting was deliberate. Venafro began developing his artistic practice in 2009, three years before retirement, viewing creativity as an essential component of life after work.
“Retiring needs planning, and not just financial,” he says. “Many people do not think about replacing the time they spent at work. Reality hits, and then panic.”
For Venafro, painting became that replacement and has remained central to his daily life for the past 17 years.
Building Landscapes Through Texture
A defining characteristic of Venafro’s work is his near-exclusive use of the palette knife. Rather than applying paint with brushes, he builds thick layers of oil paint that create dramatic textures and sculptural surfaces.
The resulting impasto technique produces works that extend beyond traditional painting, creating a tactile quality that encourages close inspection. The textured surfaces often resemble low-relief sculptures, giving the landscapes a physical presence that enhances their emotional impact.
His primary subjects are forests and seascapes, environments that have fascinated him since childhood. Inspiration also comes from familiar Montreal landmarks, including Mount Royal.
According to Venafro, the goal is not merely to reproduce scenery but to communicate the emotional experience of being immersed in nature.
“Though I am creating art, I am evoking an emotion. I paint what a landscape feels like, not only what it looks like. I am asking the viewer to come and do the same.”
Art and Community Engagement
Beyond his studio practice, Venafro has maintained a strong commitment to community involvement. For the past three years, he has served as volunteer curator for the gallery at the Old Brewery Mission, one of Montreal’s leading organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness.
Every three months, he organizes exhibitions that emphasize accessibility and inclusion, reflecting his belief that art should exist in everyday spaces rather than exclusively within formal institutions.
That philosophy is also reflected in the exhibition’s opening reception, which will be alcohol-free and open to all visitors, with tea, coffee and pastries available.
Venafro has also removed his signature from the front of his paintings, preferring that viewers engage directly with the artwork without distraction.
“The richness of the surface leaves little room for a discreet signature,” he explained.
Critical Response
Venafro’s textured landscapes have attracted praise from artists, critics and viewers alike.
“A powerful work where texture and light intertwine to evoke a deep sense of stillness and underlying motion. The use of the palette knife doesn’t just build form, it sculpts atmosphere. It’s not just a seascape, but a moment suspended between thought and tide. Truly compelling.” – Anatoly Winston Miles, writer/digital artist/visual analyst
“Artist Bob Venafro’s impasto style of work is explored in the ‘I see through seasons’ series. Venafro evokes human characteristics into trees and creates a dramatic effect. These noble and courageous giants in nature are given the representation they deserve in Venafro’s work.” – Carrie Schiblinsky, ArtBomb
“Oil seems to love you! That is rare!” – Martin Blanchet, artist
“Beautiful colours. The more I stare at this painting the more I see and the more the colours seem to blend, bend, and morph creating almost a living landscape with new features.” – Brendan Jacobs
Exhibition Details
About Time – New Paintings by Bob Venafro
Venue: Galerie ERGA, 6394 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal
Dates: June 30 – July 5
Vernissage: July 2, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (alcohol-free, open to all)
The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to experience Venafro’s latest exploration of landscape, memory and identity, while highlighting a creative journey that began after retirement and continues to evolve through both artistic practice and community engagement.