About Gordon M. Friesen

I was born in Vancouver, B.C. and raised in rural Surrey before it was paved over with strip malls.  As a child I was always drawing and as a teenager began designing posters. Inspired by the album cover art of the 1960’s, I attended the Kootenay School of Art to study graphic design.

From there I roamed about, worked in sweatshops, built wilderness trails, and laboured on the railroad and in sawmills.  Along the way I studied applied design at Douglas College and printmaking at the Alberta College of Art.  I learned to print textiles in the N.W.T.  

Returning to the Kootenays, I co-founded a design and screen printing shop and my line drawings began to get published in literary magazines.  In 1982 I re-located to the west coast and continued to work in graphic design, exhibit my assemblages, and facilitate collage-making workshops. 

In 1990 I was offered an opportunity to create a series of illustrations pertaining to the human and natural history of Beacon Hill Park.  That project had a profound influence on my career as an illustrator. 

For the past few years, I have returned to printmaking, creating images both real and imagined. I hope the images engage you.  

”head waters”
lino print on mulberry paper
7x9 3/4 in.
edition of 24

33rd and Fraser
lino print on mulberry paper
11x18 in.
edition of 60

“Asian Garden”
lino print on mulberry paper
12x18 in.
edition of 60

“Bamfield”
lino print on mulberry paper
approx. 10x18”
edition of 7