Skip to main content

David Sorensen Art

Canadian, 1937-2011

David Sorensen sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” In the paintings from his last years, Sorensen offers solutions to the nature of abstraction — wresting nature and the horizon from pure form and brilliant colour.

Born in Vancouver in 1937, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur Erickson, Bill Reid and Jack Shadbolt. Shadbolt, who in turn had studied Hans Hoffman, invited American art critic Clement Greenberg to the school to discuss abstraction, including the work of Rothko, Pollock and Kline. These influences helped shape Sorensen’s painterly approach to non-figurative art. In 1964, the artist moved to Montreal, where he held teaching positions at the Montreal Museum School of Art, the Saidye Bronfman Centre and later, Bishop’s University. Over his long career, Sorensen exhibited in Switzerland, France, Italy, Japan, China, the U.S. and across Canada.

In 2005, the Musée du Bas Saint-Laurent in Riviere-du-Loup, QC curated a 45-year retrospective of the artist’s work. In 1996, Sorensen was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. His work is held in private, corporate and public collections, including the Musée d’art contemporain de Montreal, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Hamilton and more.

(Biography provided by OENO Gallery)

to
5
3
3
3
3
2
Blue Over Yellow #2 - bold, colourful, modern, abstract, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
David Sorensen’s brightly coloured abstract work is visually arresting, fresh and modern. The venerated Canadian artist was initially inspired by the vivid palette of Mexico where he...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Havana No 6, Red - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
In this colourful abstract painting by David Sorensen, bright red draws the viewer’s eye. The Canadian artist completed a series of oils after visiting Havana, Cuba in 1999. The Havana series was created using a spatula and paintbrush. The result is highly textured pieces rendered in vivid colours—graphic shapes of lime green, orange, indigo and brown. A grid-like pattern of thick vertical and horizontal lines adds visual drama and contrast. “To me, there is still this celebration worth the paint. And it’s about an open door that the artist used to call muse.” David Sorensen Born in Vancouver Sorensen (1937-2011) studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur...
Category

1990s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Havana No 4, Yellow - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A vibrant culture is captured in colour and dynamic form in this lively abstract painting by David Sorensen. After visiting Cuba in 1999, the Canadian artist created a series of paintings. The light, the bright colours and the rich atmosphere of life in Havana inspired Sorensen’s colour palette—a brilliant square of yellow in the center, surrounded by graphic shapes in red, orange, lime green, blue and black. Lines of blue and black create a grid-like pattern that runs both horizontally and vertically across the canvas. “Through the medium of his art, a bridge is built between inner sensation and outer world experience, illusion and reality, what we cannot see and what we see, life and afterlife.” John K. Grande, Montreal poet and writer Born in Vancouver Sorensen (1937-2011) studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson...
Category

1990s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Havana No 5, Blue - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
When David Sorensen visited Havana, Cuba in 1999 he was captivated by the rich textural atmosphere of the city. Using a spatula and paintbrush he created a series of abstract paintings in bright colours and graphic form. No 5 features a sky-blue square in the center, laid over a field of similar shapes in various sizes. Thick lines that run both vertically and horizontally across the canvas add drama. The colour palette—orange, yellow, red, and indigo is both joyful and intense. “Through the medium of his art, a bridge is built between inner sensation and outer world experience, illusion and reality, what we cannot see and what we see, life and afterlife.” John K. Grande, Montreal poet and writer Born in Vancouver Sorensen (1937-2011) studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson...
Category

1990s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Blue Return - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A masterful colourist, this engaging abstract is by David Sorensen. The Canadian artist was known for his bright colour palette and dynamic form. This piece—rows of colour—orange, yellow, blue, golden brown, pale green and black overlap and play against a deep blue grid-like background. Sorensen admired and was influenced by the work of Quebec’s Jean-Paul Riopelle and American abstract expressionists Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. “To me there is still this celebration worth the paint. And it’s about an open door that the artist used to call muse.” David Sorensen Born in Vancouver Sorensen (1937-2011) studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Entry 3: Orange, Yellow, Green, Violet - bold, colourful, abstract oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A scaffold of dark violet gives structure to painterly hot orange and teal bands in this confident abstract canvas by David Sorensen. The curated strata of fresh colors points to an ocean horizon at sunrise. Through his painterly modern compositions, celebrated Canadian painter David Sorensen (1937-2011) sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” In the paintings from his last years, Sorensen offers solutions to the nature of abstraction – wresting nature and the horizon from pure form and brilliant colour. Born in Vancouver in 1937, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Triptych - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, modernist, tryptic oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Painterly bands of bright lemon, aqua, white and verdant green point to beach, sand and sky in this modernist triptych by David Sorensen. Through his painterly modern compositions, celebrated Canadian painter David Sorensen (1937-2011) sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” In the paintings from his last years, Sorensen offers solutions to the nature of abstraction – wresting nature and the horizon from pure form and brilliant colour. Born in Vancouver in 1937, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur Erickson...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Gaze Big Green - large, colorful, geometric abstract, contemporary oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Geometric passages in painterly red-orange frame a central green field in this bold abstract painting by David Sorensen. Through his painterly modern compositions, celebrated Canadian painter David Sorensen (1937-2011) sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” In the paintings from his last years, Sorensen offers solutions to the nature of abstraction – wresting nature and the horizon from pure form and brilliant colour. Born in Vancouver, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Related Items
The Fantasy of Castle No.2 - Contemporary art, Geometric, Abstract
Located in Coquitlam, BC
Artist: Da Hong Born in 1984 Henan China, and currently living in Beijing He graduated from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2007 The artist enjoyed piling up the blocks on the c...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Untitled (Man with guitar)
Located in Cliffside Park, NJ
Manuel Soto-Muñoz (1913-2000), Puerto Rican born American painter. Recipient award of merit Florida Southern College, 1958; prize Art Students League New York, 1950; 1st prize Salón ...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Human Frequency 6 - contemporary artwork, oil on canvas
By Michael Pemberton
Located in London, GB
Michael Pemberton (b. 1974, England) is an emotive abstract painter, focussing on the energy and form of the human subject. Michael was educated at Chelsea School of Fine Art in London and later studied at Slade School of Fine Art, University College London and The Ruskin School of Art, University of...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Upward movement, 110x80cm
By Tatiana Levchenko
Located in Yerevan, AM
Upward movement, 110x80cm
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

HUMAN ATMOSPHERE 5 - contemporary artwork, oil on canvas
By Michael Pemberton
Located in London, GB
In this collection, British painter Michael Pemberton (b. 1974) suggests we each have a personal HUMAN ATMOSPHERE. An ether where we truly exist, unseen by the naked eye but as real ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Eagle pose, 80x110cm
By Tatiana Levchenko
Located in Yerevan, AM
Eagle pose, 80x110cm
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

HUMAN ATMOSPHERE 8 - contemporary artwork, oil on canvas
By Michael Pemberton
Located in London, GB
In this collection, British painter Michael Pemberton (b. 1974) suggests we each have a personal HUMAN ATMOSPHERE. An ether where we truly exist, unseen by the naked eye but as real ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

CN 7 - Oil Painting, inspired by surface structure of planets and the moon
By Jonathan Moss
Located in Deddington, GB
CN 7 is an oil painting on canvas. The CN series of paintings take inspiration from research into the surface structure of planets and the moon. This painting may be hung directly o...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Untitled (Green and Grey Abstract)" Pastel Contemporary Expressionist Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Abstract expressionist oil painting by contemporary Houston artist Benji Stiles. The work features gestural marks and rounded shapes in pastel pink, yellow, and green set against a light grey background. Currently unframed, but options are available. Artist Biography: Born in New Orleans, Robert Benjamin Stiles (Benji) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator who lives and works in Houston. He holds a B.A. from the University of St. Thomas, with a major in Art History and a minor in Studio Arts, and is currently an MFA candidate at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art). His work ranges from non-representational painting focusing on diverse mark-making and color theory to conceptual sculpture and assemblage using historical and found objects. Since 2019, Stiles has established a successful art practice at Hardy and Nance studios while exhibiting work throughout the region including three solo shows (Hardy & Nance Gallery 2020, Lonestar College 2021, G-Contemporary 2022). Recent group shows include Collect it For the Culture 2021 (curated by Robert Hodge) where he showed work alongside more than 30 artists including – Rick Lowe...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Fantasy of Castle No.7 - Contemporary art, Geometric, Abstract
Located in Coquitlam, BC
Artist: Da Hong Born in 1984 Henan China, and currently living in Beijing He graduated from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2007 The artist enjoyed piling up the blocks on the c...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The story of DaJu - Contemporary art, Geometric, Abstract
Located in Coquitlam, BC
Artist: Da Hong Born in 1984 Henan China, and currently living in Beijing He graduated from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2007 The artist enjoyed piling up the blocks on the c...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Slow race
Located in Oslo, 03
Acrylic and oil on canvas
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Previously Available Items
Amida - large, bright, colorful, yellow, abstract grid, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This gorgeous luminous abstract painting drenched in bright yellow is enhanced by a subtle melange of greens, orange, blue and rich brown. This is direct from the estate collection o...
Category

1990s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Kite - bold, bright, colorful, abstract, grid, modernist, oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
A celebration of bright, joyful colours, ‘Kite’ is an abstract painting by David Sorensen. The Canadian artist painted several pieces using the classic grid pattern. This oil on canvas is rendered in a fresh, vivid modern palette—a yellow grid with violet, orange, indigo, golden brown, forest and lime green. The colours are layered—not pure which adds both depth and dimension to each ‘frame’. Sorensen admired and was influenced by the work of American abstract expressionists Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. “To me, there is still this celebration worth the paint. And it’s about an open door that the artist used to call muse.” David Sorensen Born in Vancouver Sorensen (1937-2011) studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art. His teachers were renowned—Arthur Erikson...
Category

1990s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Entry 1: Green/Violet/Orange - large, bold, colourful, abstract oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Through his painterly modern compositions, celebrated Canadian painter David Sorensen (1937-2011) sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” Textured bands of teal, burnt orange and dark violet hint at a framed horizon in this bold canvas. Born in Vancouver in 1937, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur Erickson...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Gestural Field - large, bright, warm, lyrical, abstract oil on canvas
By David Sorensen
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Painterly bands of light brown and gold, like a field of wheat, are interrupted by two thin lines of deep yellow and umber in this lyrical canvas by David Sorensen. Through his painterly modern compositions, celebrated Canadian painter David Sorensen (1937-2011) sought to “give voice to the inner reality.” In the paintings from his last years, Sorensen offers solutions to the nature of abstraction – wresting nature and the horizon from pure form and brilliant colour. Born in Vancouver in 1937, Sorensen studied at UBC and the Vancouver School of Art under Arthur Erickson...
Category

2010s Contemporary David Sorensen Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

David Sorensen art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic David Sorensen art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by David Sorensen in canvas, fabric, oil paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1990s and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large David Sorensen art, so small editions measuring 24 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Malcolm Rains, Tony Scherman, and Andrew Lui. David Sorensen art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,500 and tops out at $36,000, while the average work can sell for $20,000.

Artists Similar to David Sorensen

Recently Viewed

View All