Degen Lindner

Meet Degen

Spending summers at Emma Lake, Degen Lindner developed a lifelong connection to the forests, lakes and endless skies of northern Saskatchewan. Those early experiences nurtured a way of seeing rooted in careful observation, quiet reflection and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Her father and nature became her first teachers, shaping not only the subjects she would paint but the way she approaches art, creativity and teaching.

"On our walks together I was always cautioned to be silent... so that we could see wildlife. There are so many memories of that pristine, magical world—certainly the beginning of my love for the forest and the endless skies."

It all matters

"In my classes I often make references to music or poetry to convince students to care about every part of their paintings or drawings—no part of a painting, music composition or poem is just filler—it all matters."

Every drawing begins with observation, but the goal is always something deeper.

"It may look or sound effortless and it may or may not have been a struggle to create—but the end result will hopefully seem as if it could not have been otherwise. Also technical facility alone, without passion, quiet, or otherwise, will not matter in the end."

The Quiet Beauty of Observation

"I believe my father taught me to learn from nature, to honor its endless complexity and simplicity..."

Beyond Observation

"Sometimes I just long to explore what paint and colour can discover without reference to anything I may be looking at—I just put down a colour, and then another and see what happens."

"I often end up with something that is closer to what I want, than any pre-conceived idea I may have begun with."

For Degen, painting is not about reaching a destination. Every new canvas offers another opportunity to explore colour, movement and the landscape in fresh ways. Decades of experience have only deepened her curiosity and reinforced the belief that every painting still has something to teach.

"When I am in a canoe, going through the mysterious mist at dusk, I always want to discover what is beyond the mist—that keeps me going—but I am always in love again with the mist just ahead—because it keeps beckoning. Hopefully I will find my own way through the mist."