About

Luke Edward Stripp (b.1995) is a Lethbridge-based painter who is engaged in constructing intricate visual narratives that test the limits of art’s ability to embody subjective perception, drawing on past affections and afflictions as well as the rhythms of daily occurrence. Often depicting human figures and geometric abstractions, his work balances simplicity with complexity, offering just enough visual stimulation to satisfy the mind while holding back from oversaturation. In this restraint, the paintings create a kind of visual trip — pared down yet layered — where clarity and ambiguity coexist, inviting viewers into spaces of discovery and reflection.

 

Born in Surrey, BC to a German-Métis father and a British-Romanian mother, Luke grew up with a multicultural background. As a child he spent most of his time outdoors or on the ice, excelling in hockey and consistently earning places on top teams. Yet as social media became a dominant force during his adolescence, its pressures compounded with recurring injuries. Together, they fueled a growing depression that ultimately brought his playing career to an end at the age of twenty.​

 

After his life in sports slipped away, Luke drifted for three years, struggling with alcoholism and uncertainty. His introduction to painting came unexpectedly when a family friend built him a simple wooden panel from 1x2s and 1/4" plywood. With it, he picked up a brush — and never set it down. Painting became both discipline and outlet, a way to rebuild himself while searching for meaning.​

 

In 2024, that meaning came in a moment of revelation that would reshape his practice. Turning to the Book of Genesis, he found light in scripture and inspiration. This awakening, paired with his ongoing dedication to painting, continues to define his work: a reflection of struggle, renewal, and the search for guidance in a contemporary age.​

 

Since then, Luke has established his namesake gallery in Langley, BC (2020–2022), exhibited at Art Vancouver (2023), and today lives and works in Lethbridge, Alberta.