We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Canadian artist Suzanne Sandboe—an accomplished landscape painter whose works capture the quiet majesty of the mountains through a lens of memory and emotion.

Known for her soft edges, glowing colour palettes, and luminous layering, Suzanne’s mountain scenes offer more than just a view, they evoke a feeling. Her work often draws from deeply personal experiences in places like Jasper and Banff, where she’s spent years hiking, skiing, and exploring with her family. These connections bring an intimate warmth to each canvas, where light, shadow, and atmosphere come together to tell a story.

In this reflective conversation, Suzanne shares how the Rockies have shaped her creative journey, what she discovered during her time at Mont Tremblant, and why she’s always chasing the beauty of a moment that feels both timeless and true.

Your works often feel deeply connected to nature and emotion. Can you tell us about the moments or places that inspire you the most when you start a new piece?

As I travel about the countryside whether consciously or unconsciously, I am always watching the landscape for things that catch my eye. I would say it starts off with a unique composition, something that catches my eye, harmony in color and atmosphere, but most particularly  I think what is quaint or kind of nostalgic in the landscape….something that makes you think about a special moment in time  that draws your attention, that tells a story, or kindles a memory…. I am always drawn to beautiful old barns and buildings, pastoral settings, beautiful vistas with lovely color and misty soft values and  interesting shadows and light sources….something that tells a story.

Is there a particular color or texture you find yourself returning to again and again something that feels like a personal signature in your art?

Most certainly there are certain colors that I am drawn to… in particular, the quinacridone colors of golds, burnt oranges, magenta, purples, lovely rich colors and layering of veils and washes over these colors. I will typically start out with a base layer of cad orange or lemon yellow, then layer or paint on top of these colors which lends themselves well to any value I put on top. There are times I will mix up the base layer with other colors depending on what I am painting or how luminous or colorful I want the painting to look as light passes thru the top layers and is reflected back from underneath so definitely it matters what base colors you start with.  I enjoy shadows and soft edges and aim for a painterly contemporary soft look to my work. My paintings are often said to portray a tranquil and reflective feeling drawing the viewer not only to another place but to another time presenting not only a scene but a memory. I guess I would say I am definitely a nostalgic person so romance and sentiment are just natural.

When you’re not creating, how do you like to spend your time? Are there any activities or rituals that help keep your creativity flowing?

Well, I’m a very busy mom and grandmother as well as I have aging parents to look after so life is very busy for me.  However, I live in the country and have nature at my doorstep so constantly have the beauty surrounding me from which to draw.  As I had mentioned before it is just a natural and very intuitive thing for me to always be watching and looking at the landscape as the seasons change and seeing things which catch my eye to paint.  I also have several small lakes in my area and on the shores of my parents farmland so these are natural subjects for me.  The mountains are just two hours away to the west and Jasper just 4 hours south of us and over the years we have always vacationed there in the summer and over the years skied there in the winter months so this also provides a plethora of subject matter from which to draw. I am especially drawn to the mountains of Jasper and Banff and it is very sentimental to me as I have been going there starting as a little girl with my parents and continuing over the years with our own family. We love camping, quading, hiking, skiing and spending time in nature.

You recently spent time at Mont Tremblant, how was that experience? Did the landscape or atmosphere there spark any new ideas or influence your recent works?

Yes, I just returned from the Residency at Mont Tremblant which was truly special in so many ways.  The staff and hotel were very accommodating, helpful and personable and we had a great experience staying there.  I am truly appreciative of the support and interactions with so many there at the hotel as they would stop by as I was painting in the foyer of the hotel each day.  So many vacationers and residents of Mont Tremblant as well stopped by each day to watch me paint, talk about the painting and the painting I was working on and  the area.  That was truly inspiring and so interesting to meet so many people from all over the world.  Words just cannot say enough about how kind and nice people were and the interest in what I was doing as the paintings were evolving.

The landscape is in many ways very different from where I live on the prairies where we have a lot of wide open spaces.  I first noticed how incredibly lush and dense the forest was around Mont Tremblant.  You do not have the long vistas we have at home in Alberta but the vegetation is incredible and the area is full of beautiful small lakes and rivers and beautiful tumbling streams and waterfalls in many areas which we walked into at different spots.  There is one tumbling stream and waterfall right beside the hotel in fact which was so beautiful. Particularly the lakes are beautiful although getting a good look at them can be difficult as it is so densely habituated around them as well as so lush from the dense vegetation.  Again, I look for the quaint and nostalgic when I am doing my work….that which I am naturally drawn to and soon noticed the waterlilies on a small lake called Lac Moore at Tremblant.  I knew right away that I would paint them so this was the subject I chose for my larger painting. 

A kind lady let me walk to the back of her property where I sketched and took photos of the lilies.  We also took a drive one day to the smaller towns and villages in the Tremblant area which was so interesting and came across some farmland with lush rich fields, old barns, horses, and such… small little lakes with fishermen in boats, it was so beautiful and relaxing.  I came away with so many creative ideas of things to paint. The small villages were so interesting with their tidy yards and interesting historical buildings and old churches and winding roads in the villages and throughout the countryside, it was just so rich with history and incredibly beautiful.  I was really glad we had a couple of extra days to wander throughout the area to familiarize myself with the area before starting to paint.

Looking ahead, are there any new themes, materials, or directions you’re excited to explore in your art? What feels most exciting to you right now?

I came back with a sketch book filled with thumbnail sketches of scenes from the area.  Most certainly I would like to do more paintings from the area, but I think it just helps solidify for me the nostalgic pastoral type of scenes and history that I enjoy painting as well as again painting more of the lily pads on the lakes which I certainly enjoyed and will continue to do more of.  I would totally love to spend a few weeks plein air painting in the area there as there are just so many amazing places to visit.

We’re honoured to represent Suzanne Sandboe at Mountain Galleries and to share her evocative mountain landscapes with our collectors and visitors. Her work invites us to pause, reflect, and feel—offering a timeless connection to place and memory. We can’t wait to see what she creates next.