Painting Victoria

Painting Victoria is a loving tribute to a storied city from one of its most dedicated living artists, Robert Amos, and makes a wonderful gift for enthusiastic locals and new visitors alike.


When he first came to Victoria in 1974, local artist and art historian Robert Amos was enchanted. In Painting Victoria, he collects decades of paintings done almost entirely on location into a sweeping artistic love letter that spans fifty years. Painting Victoria roves from the sparkling waters of Cadboro Bay to the industrial relics of the Albion Iron Works, with stops among the boats of the Inner Harbour, the neon lights of Chinatown, and the tranquil paths of Japanese Gardens.


Inspired by the local painters and printmakers that came before him, Amos paints and sketches Victoria's waterways and boats, famous gardens, breathtaking ocean and mountain views, heritage buildings, and unsung corners in a whimsical style and with a keen eye for the unique character of the city. Featuring paintings from numerous art collections, including the City of Victoria, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, and the University of Victoria, and the artist's personal collection, join the Victoria Times Colonist's art columnist of thirty years in a journey across the city. From the riotous colours of a summer parade, to captivating snapshots of the fireworks at Butchart Gardens, to quiet quotidian scenes at the Carr House, discover Victoria through an artist's eyes.