About the Artist

Brenda Matsen is an international award-winning artist specializing in wildlife and animal realism through pastel and oil. Growing up on a farm in northern British Columbia, Brenda developed a lifelong passion for observing animals in their environments. After a 30-year career in health care, she relocated to Vancouver Island in 2018 to focus entirely on painting the natural world.

Working from her own reference photos, Brenda captures the unique spirit of animals and wildlife across western Canada. She has earned esteemed recognition internationally and holds prestigious master and signature designations with major Canadian art societies and Artists for Conservation. A dedicated conservationist, she actively supports wildlife rehabilitation by donating a portion of her proceeds to MARS Wildlife Rescue in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in western Canada.

Earned Signature Status Explained 

The letters following Brenda Matsen's name represent Signature Status earned through rigorous peer review. These juried designations are awarded by national art society to recognize consistent technical mastery and professional excellence. 

MPAC  Master Pastelist  Pastel Artists of Canada

SFCA   Signature Member Federation of Canadian Artists

AFC     Signature Member Artists for Conservation

SCA     Elected Member Society of Canadian Artists

ARTIST STATEMENT

My artwork is an invitation to pause, reflect, and find a deeper connection to the living world. Specializing in pastel and oil, I strive to capture the unique spirit of animals and people in the fleeting moments that define our experiences.

Growing up in rural British Columbia fostered my deep fascination with wildlife and their environments. Every piece I create begins in the field, working from my own reference photographs taken during my travels through Western Canada. Through a realistic approach, I aim to freeze a moment in time, creating an opportunity for the viewer to step closer, experience the animal's world, and appreciate the fragile environment we share. For me, art is not just about representation—it is a tool for conservation and a reminder to protect the wilderness that inspires us.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

2026 

• Finalist - Artist Magazine & American Artist The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 18 Competition 
• Honourable Mention - Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2026 Medals Exhibition
• AFC - Signature Member status - Artists for Conservation
• Artists for Conservation Book. Inclusion in Artists for Conservation 2026 International Exhibit of Nature in Art publication.
• Honourable Mention - Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - 36th Purely Pastel Open Competition
• FCA - Juried into 2026 Medals Exhibition (Signature Members Only) - Federation of Canadian Artists 
• CP Magic! Inclusion in February 2026 Issue. Colored Pencil Showcase 2025  (p. 37)

2025  

• Pastel Journal. Inclusion in Issue No. 152 - "Making a Mark" article (p. 36)
• Artists for Conservation Book. Inclusion in Artists for Conservation 2025 International Exhibit of Nature in Art publication.
• IAPS.  Juried into the 2025 International Association of Pastel Societies  - 46th Open Division
• Finalist - Artist Magazine & American Artist The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 17 Competition 
• Finalist: Outstanding Pastel - BoldBrush June Painting Competition by juror S.C. Mummert
• Certificate of Merit - Portrait Society of Canada 2025 Animal Portrait Competition
• CP Magic! Inclusion in February 2025. Special Issue Five Year Retrospective. Issue No 62. (p. 13)

2024  

• Finalist - Portrait Society of America: Members Only Open Online Juried Exhibition  - Animals as the Subject
• Associate Member status - Artists for Conservation
• Signature Membership (SFCA) Award (1 of 6 awards) - Federation of Canadian Artists 2024 Success! Fall Exhibition
• SFCA Signature status - Federation of Canadian Artists (previously called Senior status) 
• SCA Elected Member status - Society of Canadian Artists
• People's Choice Award - Portrait Society of Canada 2024 Animal Portrait Competition 
• Finalist: Outstanding Pastel - BoldBrush September Painting Competition by juror Erica Norelius 
• Second Place - Pastel Artists.CA 34th Purely Pastel Open Exhibition 
• Top 100 Finalist (2 works) - PleinAir Salon PleinAir Magazine's 14th Annual Plein Air Salon Art August Competition
• Finalist - Artist Magazine & American Artist The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 16 Competition  
• Honourable Mention - Federation of Canadian Artists 2025 365 Online Exhibition and Calendar Contest 
• MPAC Master Pastelist status - Pastel Artists.CA

2023

• FIRST PLACE  - Portrait Society of America: Members Only Open Online Juried Exhibition -  Animal as the Subject
• Third Place - Pastel Artists.CA Purely Pastel  11th Annual Members Only Open  Online Juried Exhibition 
• Top 100 Finalist - PleinAir Salon October PleinAir Magazine's 13th Annual Plein Air Salon Art Competition
• IGOR Juried in Member - International Guild of Realism (IGOR)
• Third Place  - Federation of Canadian Artists Arrowsmith Chapter Fall Exhibition 
• PAC Signature Pastelist status - Pastel Artists.CA 

2021

• Honorable Mention - Artist Magazine & American Artist The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 13 competition  
• Guest Artist with feature Coloured Pencil Tutorial  - CP Magic! Magazine   

2020

• Top 100 Finalist - Southwest Art  Artistic Excellence 2020 Competition 

EXHIBITIONS & COMPETITIONS

2026

• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% August: "Kodiak Cooldown" & "Emerging"
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2026 Spotlight Online Exhibition: ""Tristan", "Penning", "Dandy" & "Defying Gravity"
• 27th Annual COLOR Magazine Member Show - Professional Division: "Dandy"
• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% July: "Kodiak Cooldown" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% June: "Kodiak Cooldown" 
• Artist Magazine & American Artist - The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 18 - Finalist: “Kodiak Cooldown”  
• Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) - SCA 58th Juried Exhibition: "Penning"
• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% May: "Kodiak Cooldown" 
• Artists for Conservation (AFC) 2025 Exhibition - Virtual Exhibition & Book: "Jasper"
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2026 Medals Competition: "Penning" (Honourable Mention) & "Dandy"
• Comox Valley Arts (CV/Arts) - Tin Town Cafe June - Sept Show: "Into the Turn"
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2026 Calendar Competition and Exhibition: "Kodiak Cooldown"
• Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - 36th Purely Pastel Open Competition: "Defying Gravity" (Honourable Mention), "Tristan" & "Kodiak Cooldown" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% March: "Kodiak Cooldown" & "Power Napping"
• BoldBrush Painting Competition- FAV15% January: "Pacific Tree Frog"

2025

• BoldBrush - November Painting Competition- FAV15% November: "Power Napping" & "Georgi Girl"
• BoldBrush - October Painting Competition- FAV15% September: "Power Napping"   
• Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - 14th Annual Members Only Online Exhibition: "Power Napping" & "Off to MARS" 
• Portrait Society of Canada - 2025 Animal Portrait Competition - Certificate of Merit: "Power Napping"
• BoldBrush - September Painting Competition- FAV15% September: "Power Napping"  & "Off to MARS"
• BoldBrush - July Paintin Competition- FAV15% July: "Ozzy", “When Black isn't Black”  & "Georgi Girl"
• BoldBrush - June Painting Competition by juror S.C. Mummert - Finalist: "Bighorn"
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% June: "Power Napping", “When Black isn't Black”  & "Bighorn"
• Artist Magazine & American Artist - The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 17 - Finalist: “When Black isn't Black”  
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% May: Power Napping" & "Pacific Tree Frog"
• AFC - Artists for Conservation 2025 Exhibition - Virtual Exhibition & Book: "Bighorn"
• FCA - Federation of Canadian Artists 2026  365 Online Exhibition and Calendar Contest: "Jasper", "Power Napping" & "To Scratch an Itch"
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% April: "Power Napping" & "Bighorn" 
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% March:  "Power Napping" 
• IAPS - International Association of Pastel Societies  - 2025 IAPS Juried Webshow - 46th Open Division: "Jasper"
• American Women Artists (AWA) - 2025 Annual Online Juried Exhibition: "Jasper"
• Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) - 2025 SCA Open International Online Juried Exhibition: "Bighorn"
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% February:  "Power Napping" & "Bighorn" 
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2025 Online Showcase: "Power Napping"  & "To Scratch an Itch"
• FCA - Arrowsmith Chapter's 30th Anniversary Spring Juried Exhibition: "Rocky Mountain Elk" & " Off to MARS"
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% January:  "Power Napping" 

2024

• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% December:  "Power Napping" & "Off to MARS" 
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% November: "Ozzy"
  
• BoldBrushPainting Competition - FAV15% October: "Off to MARS"  & "Bighorn"
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - 2024 Success! Fall Exhibition - Signature Member (SFCA) Award: "Bighorn"
• Artist Magazine & American Artist - The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 16 - Finalist: “Jasper”  
• FCA -  2024 Success! Fall Exhibition: "Change is in the Air", "Bighorn" & "Jasper" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - Outstanding Pastel September (Juror Erica Norelius): "Jasper" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition -  FAV15% September: "Jasper"  
• Portrait Society of Canada (PSC) - 2024 Animal Portrait Competition -People's Choice Award: "Bighorn" 
• Portrait Society of Canada - 2024 Animal Portrait Competition - Top Finalist: "Jasper" 
• FCA - Arrowsmith Square Foot Show Juried Exhibition: "Buckskin"
• PleinAir Magazine's 14th Annual Plein Air Salon Art Competition - August Top 100 Finalist: "Jasper” & Bighorn” 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% August: "Georgi Girl",  "Jasper" & "To Scratch an Itch"
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% July: "Jasper" & "Bighorn" 
• FCA - Federation of Canadian Artists 2025 365 Online Exhibition and Calendar Contest & Honorable Mention: "Bighorn"
• Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - 34th Purely Pastel Open Exhibition: “Jasper” &“Hay Ewe!” 
• FCA - Chapter Challenge:"Curious Big Reg", "Hay Ewe!" & On Guard" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% May: "Bighorn", "Georgi Girl" & "Ozzy"
• Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - 12th Annual Members Only Online Exhibition: "Into the Turn" & "Curious Big Reg" 
• FCA - 2024 Vancouver Salon Exhibition: "Into the Turn"
• Pearl Ellis Gallery (PEG) - 2024 Members Spring Show: "Hey Ewe!" 
• FCA - 2024 Annual International Mail-In Art Exhibition: "Brockle-Face" & "Play the Hand You're Dealt"  
• Society of Canadian Artists - 2024 Open International Juried Online Exhibition: “When Black isn't Black” 
• FCA - 2024 Online Federation Showcase Exhibition "Change is in the Air", "Reflections", "Ozzy", "Georgi Girl" & "Pacific Tree Frog" 
• FCA - Arrowsmith Chapter Spring Juried Exhibition: "Peekaboo Filly", "Colt", "Groove" & "Momentum"  
• FCA - 2024 Bloom Exhibition: “Iris germanica (Bearded Iris)” & "Lilium lancifolium (Tiger Lily)”  
• FCA - 2024 Annual International Representational Exhibition (AIRE): "Before the Storm" & "Anna's Hummingbird" 
• FCA - 2024 Animal Exhibition: "Curious Big Red", "Hay Ewe!", "Ain't Nobody Here ..."  & "On Guard"

2023

• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% December: "Curious Big Red" 
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% November: "Ozzy" 
• Portrait Society of America (PSA) -  Members Only Open Online Juried Exhibition - First Place Animals as the Subject: "Bighorn”  
• PAC - Purely Pastel  11th Annual Members Only Open  Online Juried Exhibition - Third Place: "Bighorn”  
• PAC - Purely Pastel 11th Annual Members Only Open  Online Juried Exhibition: “When Black isn't Black”  
• PleinAir Salon - PleinAir Magazine's 13th Annual Plein Air Salon Art Competition October - Top 100 Finalist: "Bighorn”  
• PEG - Members' Christmas Show: "Seaweed Fricassee"  
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% October: "Bighorn"  & "Georgi Girl" 
• FCA - Arrowsmith Chapter Fall Exhibition - Third Place: "When Black isn't Black"  
• FCA  - Arrowsmith Chapter Fall Exhibition: "A View Worth Raven About"  
• BoldBrush Painting Competition - FAV15% August: "Bighorn" 
• FCA  - Nature Trust British Columbia Artist of the Year Award and Exhibition: "Bighorn"  
• International Guild of Realism (IGOR) - Fall Salon Online Juried Exhibition: "Bighorn"  
• PEG - Pearl Ellis Gallery Members' Fall Show: "Deception" 
• Mastrius - Captured Moments Gallery Art Juried Show: "Perspective Matters", "Deception" & "Silent Watcher" 
• PAC - Purely Pastel 10th Annual Members Open Online Exhibition: "A View Worth Raven About” 

2021

• PAC - Purely Pastel 9th Annual Members Online Online Exhibition: “Ain't Nobody Here” & “On Guard”  
• Artist Magazine & American Artist - The Best of Drawing: Strokes of Genius 13 Honorable Mention: “Change is in the Air”   
• Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) - 29th Annual International Juried Exhibition: “Reflections”  
• CPSA - Explore This! 17 Online Juried Exhibition: “Iris germanica”  

2020

• Southwest Art - Artistic Excellence 2020 Competition Top 100  Finalist "Ozzy" 
• CPSA -International Juried Exhibition 2020: “Staying Warm”  
• Art in Canada - Animal Prompt Competition Winner (May): “Ozzy” 
• PAC -Purely Pastel  29th Annual Open Juried Online Exhibition: “Georgi Girl”  & "Ozzy" 

PUBLICATIONS

• Artists for Conservation. (2026)."2026 International Exhibit of Nature Art". Artists for Conservation Group.
• Pastel Journal.  (2026, Winter).   ''Making a Mark'. Golden Peak Media Productions LLC.
• Artists for Conservation (2025). "2025 International Exhibit of Nature Art". Artists for Conservation Group.
• CPMagic!  (2025, Feb). “Special Issue - 5 Year Retrospective”. I
• Federation of Canadian Artists (2024, Winter). “Success! New Elected Designations”.
• Pastel Journal.  (2025, Winter).  'Drawing Acclaim'   Golden Peak Media Productions LLC.
• The Best of Drawing: Special Issue: Strokes of Genius 16 Competition Winners. (2024, Nov). HONORABLE MENTION  STROKES OF GENIUS 13 Artist Magazine & American Artist  
• CPMagic! (2023, Feb). Best Colored Pencil Artwork of 2023.
• Ann Kullberg’s COLOR Magazine. (2022, May). Showcase Colored Pencil Art Gallery. 
• CP Treasures Colored Pencils Masterworks From Around the Globe. (2022).  
• COLORED PENCIL Magazine.(2021, Dec).  HONORABLE MENTION- 11th Annual Art Competition. 
• The Best of Drawing: Special Issue: Strokes of Genius 13 Competition Winners. (2021, Nov). HONORABLE MENTION  STROKES OF GENIUS 13 Artist Magazine & American Artist  
• Ann Kullberg’s COLOR Magazine 261. (2021, Sept).  HONORABLE MENTION Professional Category - 22nd Annual Member Show.
• CPMagic! (2021, Sept). “Pacific Tree Frog” Intermediate Tutorial & Featured Artist. 
• To the Point. (2021, Nov)  Colored Pencil Society of America CPSA Explore This! 17 Online Exhibition (Juried)  
• HuesMagazine.  (2021, Sept). Colored Pencil Society of America District Chapter 108 / Memphis TN Artist Spotlight. 
• Ann Kullberg’s COLOR Magazine 256. (2021, Sept). Showcase Colored Pencil Art Gallery. 
• To the Point. (2020, Nov).  Colored Pencil Society of America International Exhibition 2020 Juror’s Selection

MEMBERSHIPS

• Pastel Artists.CA (PAC) - MPAC Master Pastelist
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA)  -  SFCA Signature (previously 'Senior') Member
• Artists for Conservation (AFC) - Signature Member 
• Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) - SCA Elected Member
• Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) - Nanaimo Chapter Member 
• Portrait Society of Canada - Canadian Visual Artist membership
• Portrait Society of America (PSA)
• Pearl Ellis Gallery (PEG)
• MARS Wildlife Community Member

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_{© 2018-2026 Brenda Matsen Artist - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED}