I am Mauro Pereira Jr., a Brazilian Canadian palette knife oil painter based in Ontario.
My journey as an artist began long before I picked up a palette knife. Drawing has always been a way for me to observe, communicate, and make sense of the world around me. After immigrating to Canada, I rediscovered painting and found a visual language that connected my experiences, memories, and daily life.
Today, I work full time in construction while maintaining an active studio practice. My paintings are deeply influenced by the environments I move through every day. From large construction sites to the tools and materials that often go unnoticed, I explore the human stories behind labor, craftsmanship, and urban transformation.
Working exclusively with oil paint and palette knives, I create textured paintings that balance representation and abstraction. My work focuses on atmosphere, emotion, and the quiet beauty found in ordinary subjects.
Recent bodies of work include Behind Hoardings, inspired by the hidden world of construction sites and the people who shape our cities, and Construction Still Life, a series that transforms everyday jobsite objects into reflections on labor, memory, and identity.
Through my work, I invite viewers to pause, look closer, and discover meaning in places and objects that are often overlooked.
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