Brian Longfield

@brianlongfield.bsky.social

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I am an artist making paintings and things on treaty one territory in Winnipeg Mb. https://linktr.ee/brianlongfieldart

Acrylic painting of a Bison on canvas with abstract background. Made in Winnipeg Manitoba by Brian Longfield
A small acrylic painting of a friendly looking reddish orange squirrel on a tree branch
An acrylic painting on a bedsheet with flowers from the sheet painting showing through the careful realistic depiction of a swimming polar bear who shakes the excess water from their head.
This is a polar bear that lives at the Assiniboine Park Zoo here in Winnipeg. She seems to be staring into the distance as she thinks through a problem. I’ll be showing it at Studio 6 for First Friday on November 7th. Polar Bear, working things out. by Brian Longfield acrylic on canvas 12”x12” 2025 https://brianlongfieldart.etsy.com/listing/4398734766 (Or link in bio) #acrylicpainting #canadianart #polarbear #polarbearart #bear #art #canadianartcollector #winnipegart #winnipegartists #firstfridayswinnipeg #painting #manitobaartist #contemporaryart #contemporarypaintings #like #instalike #november
Dynamic Rabbit By Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 2025 An original acrylic painting of a rabbit with an abstract background I tried something interesting with the background here where instead of pallette knife painting the base layer, I hand painted an abstract image based on a macro photo of the upholstery of our couch. Why the couch? Idk. If I do more of this I’ll probably try to find a way to connect it conceptually to the animal portrait. This rabbit lives near me but has never been on the couch. I’m sure they’re very friendly though. #painting #bunny #rabbit #contemporary #expressive #artofdrawingg #artpiece #art_dailydose #artaddict #artist_sharing #artworkforsale #artistic_discover #artisticportrait #artmake #winnipegart #contemporarypainting #rabbitart #bunnylove #bunnyrabbit #bunnyrabbits
Tree portrait By Brian Longfiled Acrylic on canvas 17”x26” 2025 https://brianlongfieldart.etsy.com/listing/4393603468 (or follow link in bio) So I painted a tree. I meant to do more with this and it ended up causing me a bit of uncertainty when I realized the painting was basically complete already. It was supposed to be a chance to explore the play between abstraction and representation in my work and it still does that, but not in the way I thought it would. It’s so much like looking at an abstract painting, but it’s not one. Also I’m not sure it comes across digitally; it might be a job for Studio 6. Also I believe it is an Elm tree. #art #natureartworks #natureart #painting #acrylicpainting #winnipegartist #winnipegartscene #winnipegart #elmtrees #abstractart #abstractpaintingart #autumn #october #canadianart #manitobaart
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real woodlands bison. I only paint from photos I take myself. In each of these animal portraits I try to empathize with the emotional life of the subject. This one looks like they’ve had enough of whatever Buffalo chips surround them. “Skeptical bison” by Brian Longfield acrylic paint on canvas 12”x12” 2025
Four acrylic paintings from trail camera images installed in the Cre8ery gallery and studio. Different genres of images, like mug shots and instagram selfies confer meaning to their subjects differently and in a way that derives from the images use or function, rather than its contents. In this way images taken with a motion sensitive trail camera confer a unique context on their subjects. Trail cameras, sometimes known as “camera traps” are used to study animal populations in wildlife ecology and also to track game for hunting. These images, easily recognisable by the strip of data along the bottom confer a fascinating layer of ambiguity on what could otherwise be conventional canadian landscape paintings. Do they show research subjects or prey? Typically Canadian landscape painting is also a romanticized pursuit, to have examples of it derived from a genre of photography used for scientific data seems like an ironic way to question that reading.
Mallard duck, voicing her opinion Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2025 I initially rejected the source photo for this painting. I had been very excited by it when I’d taken it on a hike in Bird’s Hill in 2023 but when I got home I realized the reason she was so still for the length it took to get a good picture was she been pooping. flash forward to 2025 and I’m feeling very frustrated by current events and looking for an animal to paint and I come accross the pics of the pooping duck, and I realize that, yes, this is the perfect image for how I’m feeling right now. Perhaps this sassy duck perfectly sums up your feelings about the world as well. It does seem that most people miss the poop the first time they see the painting. So hanging it in your home, you can be certain that nobody will think you are secretly telling them to duck off. 😆
Rabbit turning by Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 16.25”x 20.25” 2023 . . This rabbit took what was probably an unnecessary fright during an encounter with my bicycle. I was lucky to have my camera on hand because I was riding home from taking photos in the Assiniboine forest.
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of some real polar bears and a real telephone pole. Confrontation By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 24”x24” 2019
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real elk and a real telephone pole. The elk photo is from Wall Street in Winnipeg and the Telephone pole is from the Assiniboine park zoo — or maybe the other way around… Power display By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 24”x24” 2020 I’m really happy with this one.
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original source photo of a plains bison. This plains bison seems both emotionally and physically exhausted. It was kind of a hot day when I took the picture, so they were probably just soaking up the heat. Bison resting their eyes By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 12.375”x12.375” 2022
i took the source photo for this picture on a hike to the snake pits at Narcisse. I felt like my Manitoba animals were missing the snakes so I made this one. Most of my paintings seem to either have hair or feathers so it was an interesting change to do scales for once. Hopeful garter snake Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2025
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real grey wolf This painting is from a photo I took of a wolf at the Assiniboine Park Zoo here in Winnipeg. Wolf in the grass By Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 9”x12.5” 2022
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real chicken. This is taken from a photo I took of a chicken at the Kismet Creek Farm. Chicken Portrait no. 2 By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 24”x24” 2020
Glaring Pelican Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 15”x 22” 2022 . . I continue to be compelled by the way the pelican’s beak resists “facialization.” I think it has to do with the way the cheeks connect to the lower jaw instead of the upper like you’d expect.
Canada goose, honking. Acrylic on canvas 25.25”x 18” 2021 This is an acrylic painting on canvas featuring a Canada goose, honking in a threatening way on an abstract background. The photo reference was shot at Omand’s creek park in the spring of 2021. I feel like this is the truest depiction of the character of geese that I have done.
Canada goose, standing. by Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 21.75”x 16” 2021 . . I shot the reference photo for this acrylic painting in Omand's park This Canada goose was standing on the ice on the Assiniboine River with a large group of other geese. I got lots of geese photos, but this is one of my favourites. I’m pretty happy with how the head turned out and the feathers across the breast. This is also one of my favourite abstract backgrounds. I like all the patterns I use but I’m most partial to triangles.
An original acrylic painting on canvas panel from an original photo of a real chicken. This is taken from a photo I took of a chicken at the Kismet Creek Farm. The triangles in the background are metallic silver acrylic. It has a large profile of the face of a chicken with a big red comb. The background has a muted purple and yellow abstract painting with silver triangles arranged in a geometric pattern. Chicken Portrait By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 24”x24” 2020
An original acrylic painting on laminate panel from an original photo of a real peacock. This peacock appears to have the weight of the world bearing down on him, even if that weight is a sort of amorphous pink blob. This is a second small 9x7 peacock from a picture I took at the zoo. Brooding Peacock By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Laminate panel 9”x7” 2020
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real chickadee. I painted this from a photo I took at Omand’s Creek. There were several chickadees skipping from tree to tree and I had to wait for them to get close and act fast when they landed. Curious Chickadee By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 12”x12” 2021 #wildlifeart #chickadee #acrylicpainting #bird #acrylic #acryliconcanvas #acrylics #birdart #acrylicpaint #art #contemporarypainting #painting #blackcappedchickadee
Miserable elk Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021 Manitoban elk (Cervus canadensis manitobensis) saw the train coming some distance away. A shadow with a light in the centre despite the daylight. This part of the walkway ran parallel to the tracks with a patch of bare kept prairie grass, swaying with the wind between the two. She’d expected rain, and worn her black rain coat just in case. It might still come, these winds could bring the clouds, but so far the sun was still shining. Sometimes a walk is time to think, and sometimes its a needed distraction. The roar and clatter of the train was nearly upon her, and she paused to watch it go by. It turned out to be a lot of grain cars, and seemed to have no end. While it was passing the gnawing emotional pain she’d been feeling all morning seemed to subside for bit, or perhaps she’d just forgotten it was there, like a toothache.
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photograph of a violet-backed starling This little bird with the fierce stare lives at the kinsmen centre at the Assiniboine park zoo. Violet-backed starling By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 7”x8” 2022
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real snowy owl. With these animal paintings, I think what I’m most interested in is the expression or personality that they show, especially in the faces. This Snowy Owl apparently has more personality than it knows what to do with. Apprehensive snowy owl By Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 16”x20” 2019
Contentious chicken Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 18”x 18” 2022 . . This acrylic painting on canvas of an angry looking chicken is intended to be a possible triptych with “Aggressive chicken” and “Brooding chicken”. They can be hung as a triptych or purchased individually.
Chickadee checking things out Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021 Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) put her hand on the door. She knew that from outside the house she’d not be able to hear anything but she listened anyway. She carefully turned the key in the lock as if anything could make the deadbolt quieter. Closing the door behind her she was met with a silence. The shoe rack was empty. This was the best possible scenario. Nobody was here to be mad at her. On the other hand where were they? Was this worse? She slipped into the kitchen to pour a glass of water. On the table she found the dishes from breakfast uncleaned and with partially devoured food on them. Where was everyone? Had she forgotten something important? Still tip toeing as if she’d wake someone she began carefully hopping about the house looking for clues that would point her towards some idea of where everyone was. Had something happened?
Disapproving crow Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021 American Crow (Corvus brachy- rhynchos) was surprised when she stepped in the squelching wet towel on the floor. Her sock was now soaking wet as well. She took it off and picked up the towel. The damp residue cooled her fingers and dripped on the floor. Who could have left a wet towel in the kitchen? She began to take it to the laundry, but there in the hall was the lower half of a swim suit, also very wet. She rolled it up in the wet towel, although that did noth- ing to stop the dripping, and continued on. Three stairs from the bottom was the top half of the very same swim- suit. American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) was no detective, but she was beginning to see a pattern here. She was also disgusted. What kind of a person leaves a wet swimsuit lying out? And now she had all this water to clean up.
Introverted burrowing owl Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021 Burrowing Owl, (Athene cunicularia), liked to sit here in the open doorway of the apartment, the summer breeze flowing between the house and the yard. She would close one eye and let the wire mesh on the railing divide the roofs and treetops into individual rectangles. The wind would blow branches and groups of leaves across the lines from one quadrant to the next, and when it was really strong, when the sky seemed angry, sometimes they would cross two rectangles. That’s when she knew the rain was coming. It was her secret weather forecast. Momma seemed to think it was some kind of magic that let Burrowing Owl, (Athene cunicularia) know if it would rain, but it was the wind. The wind would become angry, and then the sky would rain its tears.
Aggressive chicken Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 18”x 18” 2022 . . I was tempted to call this “Chicken No.3” as it’s obviously related to my 24” chicken paintings but it has such a majestic expression, like a raptor with a comb, I thought I’d best give her her own name. Well, adjective.
Brooding chicken Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 18”x 18” 2022
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photograph of a red squirrel. This little squirrel was completely focused on snatching snacks from the ground at the zoo. Focused little squirrel By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 7.25”x7.25” 2022
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original photo of a real sandhill crane This painting is from a photo I took of a sandhill crane at the Assiniboine Park Zoo here in Winnipeg. Sandhill crane is listening By Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 11.25”x11” 2022
An original acrylic painting on canvas from an original source photo. I took the original source photo in my backyard. I think this guy was living under our shed. Rabbit with blue flecks By Brian Longfield Acrylic on Canvas 11.625” x 13” 2021
Aspiring sparrow Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 14.25”x 13.125” 2021 . . I’m pretty sure this is the same sparrow as in my painting called “Ampersand.” It lives in my neighbour’s eavestroughing, possibly in their attic. It looks like there’s a hole. The house is a rental though and the last tenants weren’t concerned.
This is a painting from my Manitoba Wildlife Imaginary series. I've also included the short story that was displayed along with the painting, both in the touring show and at the Cre8ery show. The wolf is from a photo I took in the Assiniboine Forest. White-tailed deer, Looking back. Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021
This is a painting from my Manitoba Wildlife Imaginary series. I've also included the short story that was displayed along with the painting, both in the touring show and at the Cre8ery show. The duck is from a photo I took at Omand’s Creek park. Goofy Mallard Brian Longfield Acrylic on canvas 24”x24” 2021