The Lingering Instant

Mark Stebbins
The Lingering Instant
April 17 – August 29, 2026
Members reception: First Friday, May 1, 2026 │ 7:00-9:00PM
Artist will be in attendance │ Live music, drinks and light snacks

The Lingering Instant presents new paintings by Mark Stebbins, reaffirming the artist’s sustained commitment to materiality and the hand-made. At close range, each surface reveals a meticulous construction of thousands of individual strokes or dollops of paint, accumulating into images of quiet intensity and cohesion.

Though the works may initially suggest mechanical precision, their application is resolutely human. Imperfection is not incidental but essential―embedded in the rhythm of the artist’s hand and the passage of time required to produce each painting. The works assert the enduring relevance of the human-made in an increasingly digital and AI-mediated visual culture.

The density of the painted surfaces mirrors their conceptual depth. As the viewer lingers, a network of references emerges to historical and contemporary art movements, textile and craft-based practices, alongside considerations of temporality, memory, and duration.

Originally from Point Edward, Stebbins now lives and works in London, Ontario. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western University and a law degree from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. His work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. A large retrospective solo exhibition, Supersampler, was shown at Museum London (2025). Recent solo shows include Choeur d’échos (2025) and Gathered Threads (2022) at Galerie Simon Blais, Montreal. Recent group exhibitions include Seoul, South Korea (2023), Beijing, China (2022) and London, UK (2022). 

Stebbins’ work has been recognized with numerous awards, including an honourable mention in the RBC Canadian Painting Competition (2010) and the “Best in Exhibition” and “Best in Drawing” awards at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (2010). He was also the recipient of the Halifax Mayor’s Award of Distinction in Contemporary Visual Arts (2009) and was named Emerging Artist of the Year by Visual Arts Nova Scotia that same year.

His works are included in the collections of the Canada Council Art Bank, Museum London, RBC Royal Bank, London Arts Council, Halifax Regional Municipality, and others, including private collections across North America, Europe and Asia. He is represented by Galerie Simon Blais, Montreal, Canadian Fine Arts, Toronto and Galerie PICI, Seoul. Learn more by visiting: https://markstebbins.ca/

Image credit: Mark Stebbins, Clock (November), 2025; acrylic on burlap on wood panel