By Nancy Tousley and Peter White. Published by the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie and Figure 1 Publishing in 214.

Levine Flexhaug (1918–1974) made a living by demonstrating “speed painting” techniques and selling his work at cafés, resorts, national parks and department stores throughout Western Canada. He often worked on several paintings at a time and could complete one in minutes. Flexhaug never exhibited his paintings—many of which were variations on the same idyllic scene: mountains, trees, lakes, deer—and many have been found over the last seventy-five years in bars, restaurants and thrift stores. Four-hundred fifty of his paintings have been collected in the Sublime Vernacular exhibition, now touring Canada; it is believed that thousands have yet to be discovered.