Ernest Garthwaite was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1940. He studied at Loras College in Iowa, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 1961, and at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, receiving his Master of Arts in 1962. He subsequently studied in Europe (including in Italy, Germany, and France) and at the University of Wisconsin in 1964 and the Art Students’ League of New York in 1966. The artist’s works are distinguished by his large parabolic shaped paintings that powerfully interpret the landscape. Over the past four decades, Garthwaite has perfected a luxuriantly textured and multi-layered surface that echoes nature’s variations of light and movement. The artist’s paintings are reflective of his environmentalist view. The works express the sacredness of the land and our interconnectedness to the natural elements.