A Yellow Table
Framed size: 36 x 43.75 inches
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Joseph Plaskett’s paintings are celebrated for their luminous colour, thoughtful composition, and intimate portrayals of everyday life. Working primarily in oil and pastel, Plaskett’s timeless works encompass still lifes, interiors, portraits, and garden scenes that reveal a profound sensitivity to light, form, and colour.
Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, in 1918, Plaskett pursued an artistic education, studying at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the San Francisco School of Art, with Hans Hofmann in New York, at the Slade School in London, and alongside Fernand Léger in Paris. These formative experiences shaped the beauty that define his work.
Plaskett’s chosen subjects are rooted in the familiar and the personal – fruit arranged on tabletop surfaces, flowers in vases, sunlit rooms, and portraits of friends and models – yet each painting resonates with a quiet depth that transcends representation. His compositions are composed with a warm humanity, reflecting a lifelong fascination with how paint can evoke emotion, memory, and sensation.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Plaskett exhibited widely, with over 65 solo and group exhibitions and work held by major collections, including the National Gallery of Canada. In recognition of his excellence in the visual arts, he was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2001; a testament to his influence on Canadian painting.
Throughout his life, Plaskett maintained a long association with Bau-Xi Gallery, showing with the gallery in both Vancouver and Toronto since the early 1970s. His work continues to be admired for its radiant surfaces, richly saturated colour, and the thoughtful balance between observation and expression.
In addition to his artistic legacy, the Joseph Plaskett Foundation Award continues his commitment to painting by supporting emerging artists with travel and study opportunities in Europe, reflecting his belief in the importance of artistic growth and cultural exchange.