Canvas Kite #1, Mixed media on Canvas by Pat O’Hara

An early and highly experimental mixed media work by celebrated Canadian abstract painter Pat O’Hara, signed lower left, titled “Canvas Kite #1”, dated 1984 verso, the year the artist began her long-standing association with Bau-Xi Gallery. Executed in painted canvas with stitched textile elements, string, and sculptural relief, the composition blurs the boundaries between painting, collage, and object-making. The suspended “kite” motif, constructed from hand-painted strips of canvas, introduces a playful sense of movement while foreshadowing the innovative string-based techniques that would later become a hallmark of O’Hara’s mature practice. Her early career was marked by experimentation with collage, woven canvas, and mixed media, evolving into the lyrical abstract style for which she is now widely recognized.

Presented in a restrained palette of soft whites, pale blues, and subtle earth tones accented by vibrant primary colours, the work emphasizes texture, materiality, and the physical process of construction. The layered surface creates changing shadows and depth, inviting viewers to engage with the piece as both painting and sculptural object.

27” x 27”