Reg Finlayson has been painting for over 40 years.  His journey as an artist actually evolved from his father, who was also a gifted artist.  It continued at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, where he was taught by prominent Canadian painters Franklin Arbuckle, Allan Collier, and Eric Freifeld.  He graduated in Advertising Illustration in l964.  After gaining experience in Canada as an advertising artist, he worked and travelled extensively throughout the world for four years, living in Sydney, Australia and London, England.  Painting has always been a passion and his art inspiration was heightened while in Europe through intense scrutiny of the major galleries there.  On his return, he began painting the varied subjects from his international travels, and started winning awards in juried shows in the Toronto area.

His reputation as a golf artist emerged from his knowledge of the game, where he began as a young caddie.  Reg was the only Canadian whose work was featured in the prestigious American book “Tribute to Golf”.  Two of his paintings recently appeared on the cover of the American magazine “Golf Teaching Pro”. 

Currently he has limited edition prints available in the North American markets; six of these are sold out.  He has done commissioned signature golf hole portraits of Canadian courses such as Glen Abbey, North Halton, Mad River, The Briars, Thornhill, Cutten and others.

Now spending part of the winter in St. Simons Island, Georgia, he creates paintings of the people and places there.  Reg is a member of Visual Arts Mississauga, The Central Ontario Art Association, and Glynn Art Gallery in St. Simons.  In last year’s juried show on Jekyll Island, he won best acrylic painting and has had  paintings accepted many times in the prestigious Coastal National Juried Exhibit in St. Simons.  A recently completed painting is a portrait of Mary Ann Lapointe, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

As an accomplished, widely respected painter, his journey and evolution has travelled full circle, with his subject matter ranging from portraits and landscapes to golf courses and other unique commissions.  To Reg, his surroundings are places to be explored and captured in acrylics.  His vibrant paintings attract accolades for their remarkable light, expressive brush strokes and poetic quality.  Each painting translates the mood and atmosphere of a particular moment in time and delivers to his audience a personal connection.  It is why his circle of devoted collectors has expanded, as his paintings and prints now are in homes and corporate offices throughout the world.