Dirk Hiel

"Dirk draws on Renaissance tradition, while firmly entrenched in the 21st century. He reminds me of Fragonard and Boucher. He succeeds in thinking, while feeling and putting paint on canvas in a most alive manner".
(Chris Stakenborg, Stakenborg Fine Art, Sarasota, Fl.)

Dirk Hiel is a Dutch-born portrait painter. He now lives in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, after more than 30 years in Edmonton, Alberta,. Dirk likes to do 20-30 commissioned portraits per year.

To complement the portraits, Dirk likes to do paintings about water. Dirk's work can be found in more than 109 private collections. You can reach him at

Big influences are: 1. the chiaroscuro, compositions and moods of Rembrandt 2. the light and compositions of Vermeer, Whistler and Robert Johnson 3. the teachings of Jannes de Vries, David Leffel, Greg Kreutz, Thomas Buechner, Zhioming Wu and Richard Schmid 4. the sensual style and compositions of John Singer Sargent and J.M.W. Turner 5. the vibrating sunlight of Joaquin Sorolla. 6. Toronto architect Harry McDonic, whom I watched doing his water colours.

Edmonton artist Loraine Ure has given me unlimited and very valuable assistance.

I participated in eleven shows, of which on...

I was born in Amsterdam in 1946. My first attempts at art education were in high school: Jannes de Vries valiantly tried to teach me some basics. Later I entered a private art school in Canada. That's where I really got going. I love doing portraits and paintings about water.

2006, Royal Glenora Club, Edmonton
2007, March, Artist of the Month, the Painter's Keys,http://clicks.robertgenn.com/peak-shift.php
2007, June, Royal Glenora Club, Edmonton
2007, November, Royal Glenora Club, Edmonton
2008, January, Pro's Art Gallery, Edmonton
2008, September, Artist of the Month, the Painter's Keys,
2008, October 25- November 24, one-man exhibition,
Multi-cultural Centre, Stony Plain
Sprinkles, Potomac, Md. permanent exhibition
2010,Misericordia Hospital, Edmonton, public gallery
2012, Dogwood Gallery, Kelowna
2012, Stakenborg Gallery, Sarasota, Fl.
2013 Sparkling Hill, Erotic Art Show
2013 Stakenborg Gallery, Sarasota, Fl.
2014 Stakenborg Gallery, Sarasota, Fl.
2015/6 Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna B.C.