Gertrud grew up in Innsbruck, the capital city of the Tyrolean district of Austria, where she spent much of her time in the steadfastness of the Alpine Mountains. In her early twenties she emigrated to Toronto, Ontario. At this point in her life Gertrud expressed her creativity via her camera, which she took with her on her excursions exploring rural Ontario. The scenes she captured through her lens gave her a feeling of permanence.

Gertrud started to paint late in her life, as life was too busy with her family and business. However, she did lots of photography to capture the colours and moods of the moment, her enthusiasm for art carried her through difficulties while building up the BearTrail Inn resort with her husband Fritz. The resort later became The Couples Resort. For the past 25 years, Gertrud has been an executive with the Eastern Ontario Art Association and during that time she has established an annual member’s exhibition at the Algonquin Park Visitor Center.

Many of Gertrud’s paintings can be found in private collections in Ottawa, Toronto, Sault Ste. Marie, Pennsylvania, Ohio, England, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Asia. Her work can be viewed at her Studio in Whitney, ON at the Couples Resort

Gertrud Sorensen builds her landscape paintings with a heavy brush and oil paint. She prepares her canvas and heads out into Algonquin Park to find a spot that speaks to her. She sets up her easel and begins to build her painting. Gertrude uses thick brush strokes, heavy colours and sometimes a pallet knife to create a feeling of solid groundedness. Her style of painting is reflective of the sense of permanence she feels living upon the land to catch the spirit of Algonquin that has always been her motive and she likes to catch the mood, lights and colours of the moment.

Also, a preview of art from the Bancroft and Area Fall Studio Tour will be on display in the Gallery Shop during this time.