About Me
My name is Av Utukuri, and I am a contemporary Canadian artist, engineer, entrepreneur, dad, and husband based in Toronto. Even though I have been painting since childhood, I took the long scenic road to get here.
As I was born colour blind, I decided not to pursue an OCAD degree in drawing and painting; instead I went to University of Toronto and graduated from the prestigious Engineering Science program with an electrical engineering degree.
I have been a technology entrepreneur for most of my professional life, getting involved in tech startups, inventing new products and taking new ideas to market.
But, my love for art never died. Inspired by modern impressionist masters and the reflection of Canadian landscapes by brilliant artists such as the Group Of Seven, I wanted to express my unique perspective and take on this beautiful landscape.
My work is a true collaboration with my two young daughters, aged 9 and 11, who routinely help mix colours and give advice on how not to make everything look brown and grey!
Explore the Collection
All my work is acrylic on canvas and my design aesthetic is very contemporary. I tend to use geometric flowing shapes and bright saturated colours to make colours visible to my eyes. I always wondered why many artists paint with such muted colours!
I love to make my backgrounds bright, accentuate the light and use darker colours in the foreground.