Angel Strehlen: The Art of Living Memory

Angel Strehlen (b. 1960) is a Vancouver-based, self-taught artist whose work is a profound meditation on lineage, loss, and the enduring power of the creative spirit.

For much of her career, Strehlen’s practice was rooted in the disciplined world of classical portraiture. Her work focused on the tangible—capturing the likeness and physical presence of her subjects with traditional precision. However, the tragic passing of her son, Adam Sun, in 2023 marked a definitive turning point in both her life and her aesthetic language.

In the wake of his death, Strehlen moved away from the literal representation of the figure and toward a spiritual, calligraphic abstraction. This shift was born from a desire to keep Adam’s voice alive; Adam, who lived with schizophrenia and died while in care, was a master of calligraphic brushwork. By adopting and honoring his unique style, Strehlen has found a way for his artistic vision to flourish through her own hands.

Deeply influenced by the "Northwest School" masters—the meditative "white writing" of Mark Tobey and the mystical precision of Jack Wise—Strehlen’s new series serves as a visual dialogue across time and space. Her canvases are no longer just paintings; they are a collaborative legacy. Through rhythmic linework and dense, layered textures, she explores the complexities of care, the resilience of the soul, and the unbreakable bond between mother and child.

In Strehlen’s current work, the painting  no longer represents just the form, but becomes spirit incarnate.