Image credit: Home Poster Decor
The art on your walls says a lot about where you live and what you care about. A loon print, a canvas of the Rockies, or an illustrated corner of your own city can make a room feel like home in a way a mass-produced print can't.
In this guide, you'll learn what actually counts as Canadian wall art, which styles work well in Canadian homes, and how to choose the right format, size, and quality. You'll also learn how to avoid surprise customs fees, how to protect your art once it's hung, and where to shop for pieces made by people who live here.
What is Canadian wall art?
Canadian wall art is artwork for your walls, including prints, canvases, posters, and original pieces, that is designed, made, or sold by Canadian artists and independent Canadian businesses. It often features Canadian subjects like landscapes, wildlife, and cities, but the subject alone doesn't make it Canadian. What matters most is who created it and who you're buying it from.
That distinction is worth making because "Canadian-themed" and "Canadian-made" aren't the same thing. A maple leaf poster printed overseas and sold by a global retailer is Canadian in theme only. A signed print from an artist in Quebec is Canadian through and through.
Choosing the second kind supports a creative community that is large but modestly paid. According to a Hill Strategies census analysis of 2021 Statistics Canada data, there are 202,900 professional artists in Canada, and a typical artist's total personal income in 2020 was $30,200, which is 39% lower than the $49,600 figure for all Canadian workers. Buying from Canadian artists is one direct way to support that community.
Canadian-made vs. imported wall art
Telling the difference takes a little detective work, but the clues are usually on the product page. Look for the artist's or studio's name and location, a short maker bio, and details about where the piece is printed and shipped from.
Don't rely on the web address alone. The Canada Border Services Agency's CBSA courier import guidance warns shoppers not to assume that a retailer with a ".ca" address has its goods located in Canada. If a listing is vague about who made the art or where it ships from, treat that as a signal to dig deeper.
Where you shop also shapes where your money goes. CFIB small business research from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that 66 cents of every dollar spent at a small Canadian retailer stays in the provincial economy, compared with only 8 cents when Canadians buy from online giants. That's why Common Goods focuses on independent Canadian brands and shows you exactly who you're buying from.
Popular styles of Canadian wall art
Canadian wall art covers a wide range of styles, from Group of Seven landscapes to bright, graphic city scenes. The best choice depends on your space and the feeling you want it to have.
Here are some of the most popular styles, with examples from brands on Common Goods:
- Group of Seven and classic landscapes: Elles Art and Frame offers framed and matted art cards of Group of Seven works, like Lawren S. Harris's Lake and Mountains. Harris led the creation of the Group of Seven in 1920, motivated by his belief in the need for a distinctly Canadian art movement.
- Indigenous art: Elles Art and Frame also carries prints and art cards by Indigenous artists, including Maxine Noel's A Mother's Love. Noel was born in Manitoba to Santee Oglala Sioux parents, and the framed art card includes the artist's bio on the back.
- Landscapes and national parks: Mountains, lakes, and forest trails, like Canada Untamed's "Explored" posters for national and provincial parks from coast to coast, or Oleka Canvas's Mont Rose canvas from its winter collection.
- Wildlife and the boreal forest: Pieces like LE NID atelier's signed Canadian Loon print, made from an original charcoal drawing by artist Marie-Michèle Desmarais, bring a calm, natural feel to bedrooms and living rooms.
- City art: Illustrated cityscapes celebrate the places you call home. Home Poster Decor's Toronto Flower Market print is part of a series that also includes Vancouver and Montreal, and Oleka Canvas's Montreal stretched canvas shows the Old Port's Ferris wheel in a vintage illustrative style.
- Original, hand-painted pieces: Murals BC's hand-painted art on wood is custom made to order in Victoria, British Columbia. Each one-of-a-kind piece is painted in acrylics on spruce and arrives signed and ready to hang.
- Botanical and vintage prints: Soft florals and plant illustrations suit Scandinavian, Japandi, and boho interiors. 9Art Prints offers museum-quality reproductions of classic works, like its William Morris print duo, along with Japanese woodblock prints and print sets for gallery walls.
- Abstract and minimalist: Bold abstracts like Oleka Canvas's Abstract Jungle add colour to a living room, while black-and-white drawings and clean line art work well in smaller condos where you want art without visual clutter.
How to choose the right wall art
Once you know what style you like, three practical decisions will shape your purchase: the format, the size, and the quality of the print. Getting these right is the difference between a piece you love for years and one that ends up in a closet.
Canvas, framed, or unframed prints
Each format has trade-offs in price, convenience, and look. Here's a quick comparison:
| Format | What it is | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stretched canvas | Art printed on canvas and stretched over a wooden frame | Ready-to-hang statement pieces | No glass, so it's lighter and glare-free |
| Framed print | Art on paper, sold in a frame | Gallery walls and finished looks | Check the frame material and glazing |
| Unframed print or poster | Art on paper, sold on its own | Budget buys and custom framing | You'll need to buy or choose a frame |
For example, Oleka Canvas's Banff stretched canvas artwork shows a forest path framed by fir trees and mountains, inspired by western Canada. Canada Untamed's park posters come with frames made from recycled wood, and 9Art Prints sells pieces like its Julie de Graag Kale Bloom print either hand-framed and ready to hang or unframed.
Many fine art prints, like LE NID atelier's and Home Poster Decor's, ship without a frame so you can choose your own. If you go that route, Art Noise makes eco-friendly photo frames handmade in Canada from 95% recycled materials, with a mat board and a glass window on most sizes. Elles Art and Frame takes a middle path, offering many pieces as a print only, a matted art card, or fully framed with a wire hanger.
Sizing wall art for your room
Art that's too small for a wall can look like an afterthought. A common designer rule of thumb is to choose a piece, or a grouping, that spans roughly two-thirds of the width of the furniture beneath it, like a sofa or headboard.
Hang the centre of the art close to eye level, and mock up the size on the wall with painter's tape before you buy. Many listings offer several sizes, and Home Poster Decor's prints go up to 36 x 54 inches, so check the options before you settle.
Checking print quality before you buy
A good product listing tells you what the art is printed on and how it's made. Look for words like "archival" and "acid-free," which signal paper designed to last, along with the paper weight.
The LE NID atelier loon print, for instance, is printed on high-quality textured archival paper that is acid-free, FSC certified, and 215 g/m², and it's signed by the artist. 9Art Prints uses the giclée printing technique on 310 gsm Hahnemühle German Etching Paper, and its standard frames are built to order from solid FSC-certified wood with real glass.
For canvas, colour accuracy is the main worry when buying online. Oleka Canvas lets you order a 4 x 6 inch printed sample of some canvases for $4.99 to confirm the colours before committing to a full piece. Also check whether a piece is an original or a reproduction, and whether it's a limited edition (a capped number of copies) or an open edition that can be reprinted indefinitely.
Buying wall art online in Canada: duties and shipping
Ordering art from outside the country can add costs at the door. The CBSA duties and taxes guidance from the Canada Border Services Agency states that duties and taxes apply to international goods imported by mail that exceed the $20 exemption.
Those charges aren't the only extra cost. At the time of writing, Canada Post lists a Canada Post handling fee of CAN$9.95 per dutiable or taxable mail item, and couriers and customs brokers may charge their own clearance fees on top of duties and taxes.
The simplest way to avoid surprises is to buy from Canadian sellers who ship within Canada. Before you order, also check the return window and who pays return shipping. Returns sent across the border are usually more complicated than domestic ones.
Caring for your wall art
Where you hang your art matters as much as what you buy. The Canadian Conservation Institute's CCI painting care guide advises keeping paintings in a spot with fairly constant humidity and temperature, avoiding relative humidity above 60% or below 40%. It also notes that light damage cannot be reversed, so keep art out of direct sunlight.
Prints and posters need similar care. The Canadian Conservation Institute's CCI art-on-paper care guidance suggests framing artwork behind glass or plastic that filters ultraviolet light, and avoiding basements and attics, where temperature and humidity fluctuate. Dry, heated winter air and humid summers make that advice especially relevant in many Canadian homes.
Where to buy Canadian wall art
You have a few good options when you want art made here. You can buy directly from artists through their studios or social channels, browse local craft markets and galleries, or shop curated marketplaces that only list Canadian businesses.
Common Goods is a Canadian-owned marketplace that brings together independent brands from across the country. Our Canadian wall art collection features original art from Canadian artists and Canadian-owned art brands, alongside frames and mirrors to finish the space.
Here's a quick guide to some of the art brands you'll find there:
| Brand | What they offer | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Elles Art and Frame | Group of Seven and Indigenous art prints and cards, matted or framed | Iconic Canadian art and meaningful gifts |
| Oleka Canvas | Stretched canvases of landscapes, cities, and abstracts | Ready-to-hang statement pieces |
| 9Art Prints | Giclée reproductions of classic and Japanese art, sold singly or in sets | Gallery walls and framed fine art |
| Home Poster Decor | City flower market and botanical prints in large sizes | Colourful, modern rooms |
| LE NID atelier | Signed prints of original charcoal wildlife drawings | Calm, nature-inspired spaces |
| Murals BC | One-of-a-kind hand-painted art on wood | Original art at an approachable size |
| Canada Untamed | National and provincial park posters in recycled wood frames | Outdoor lovers |
| Art Noise | Frames handmade in Canada from recycled materials | Framing unframed prints |
Wall art also makes a thoughtful gift. Home Poster Decor's Vancouver Flower Market print is an easy housewarming present for anyone who loves the city. Pair your art with Canadian home décor pieces like vases, trays, and Canadian-made shelves to pull a room together.
Ready to find your next piece? Shop 400+ Canadian brands at Common Goods.
Frequently asked questions
Will I pay customs or duties on wall art ordered online?
You may, if the art ships from outside Canada and its value is over the $20 exemption for mail imports, and handling or brokerage fees can apply too. Buying from Canadian sellers who ship domestically avoids these charges.
What's the difference between canvas prints and framed art prints?
A canvas print is stretched over a wooden frame and usually hangs without glass. A framed art print is printed on paper and sits behind glass or plastic inside a frame.
Can I buy wall art directly from Canadian artists?
Yes. You can buy through artists' own studios, local markets and galleries, or marketplaces like Common Goods that list independent Canadian makers like LE NID atelier and Murals BC.
Are limited edition prints worth it?
Limited edition prints are produced in a capped number of copies and are often signed, which adds scarcity and a direct connection to the artist. Open editions are more affordable and can be reprinted indefinitely, so the right choice depends on your budget and goals.
