About

Erik Mohr is a Toronto-based painter and graphic designer. His oil paintings combine realistic portraits and objects painted directly onto found wooden surfaces. The subjects Erik chooses to paint—discarded, dented or rusted objects—have a personality and history of their own. The portraits and figurative subjects also live in this space of the simple and the mundane yet are richly layered with intent and possibility. After exhibiting his paintings regularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Erik turned to graphic design and has built a career as an award-winning illustrator, art director and creative director. This body of work represents Erik’s return to painting.

Education

Ontario College of Art, Drawing and Painting / Printmaking, 1993-1994
Apprenticeship with Attila R. Lukacs, Berlin, Germany, 1994-1995

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2012 Toronto Laser Services, Toronto 
2000 Third Avenue Gallery, Vancouver
1999 “New Paintings and Constructions”,  Painted City Gallery, Toronto
1999 “Sneak”, Painted City Gallery, Toronto
1998 “New Work”, Diego’s Cafe & Gallery, Toronto

Selected Group Exhibitions

2014 Necon 36, Providence, Rhode Island 
2011 Communication Art Gallery, Toronto
2011 “Square Foot”, AWOL Gallery, Toronto
2009 Gladstone Hotel, Toronto
2001 Wave Gallery, Toronto 
2000 Edward Day Gallery, Kingston 
1999 Edward Day Gallery, Toronto 
1999 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto
1999 “Figuratively Speaking”, Studio 21 Fine Art Gallery, Halifax 
1998 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto
1998 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto
1997 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto
1997 “Recent Works”, Wallace Studios, Toronto
1997 Third Rail Visual Arts Festival, Toronto
1996 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto

Public Appearances

Humber College, Speaker, 2017, 2018, 2019
Humber College, Portfolio review, 2018, 2019
OCADU, Guest lecturer, 2013
National Magazine Awards, Judge, 2006, 2007, 2008
Western Magazine Awards, Speaker, 2006
Journée du Magazines, Art Director’s panel, 2006
Atlantic Magazine Awards, Judge, 2005, 2006

Reviews and Publications

Erik’s exhibitions have been reviewed in Art Review, Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail and Toronto Life. Erik’s paintings have appeared in magazines such as: Azure, House and Home, Toronto Life and Slate Magazine.

Awards (Illustration/Art Direction)

APEX Awards
Art Directors Club of Canada
Canadian National Magazine Awards
Communicator Awards
Magazines du Québec
Magnum Opus Awards
Pearl Awards
Society of Publication Designers
Festival of Architecture and Design

Grants

Ontario Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant, 1999
Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant, 1999

Illustration Clients

Harper Collins NY,
Maclean’s
National Post Business Magazine
Saturday Night Magazine
The Utne Reader
McClelland and Stewart
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
ECW

Collections

Erik’s paintings hang in private collections in Canada, USA, Germany, England, France and Australia.