Canadian abstract and expressionist painter Philip Iverson has died from brain cancer at the age of 41.

The Fredericton-born oil painter had worked for the past five years in Montreal, where he lived with his wife Yukari.

Iverson began his studies in painting and drawing at the New Brunswick Craft College. He went on to graduate from Mount Allison University's fine arts program in 1990.

Influenced by artists ranging from Max Beckmann to Willem de Kooning, Iverson was known for his powerful and vibrant landscape and figure paintings, including a series paying tribute to pop artists such as Andy Warhol.

Iverson had his first major exhibit at Fredericton's Gallery 78 and immediately caught the eye of dealers in Montreal and Toronto, said owner Inga Pataki.

"The paintings were very strong, very powerful statements of what he wanted to express," she told CBC News on Wednesday. "People had to think, looking at the paintings, but people were willing to do that because the work was so incredibly impressive."

The painter danced

Some art critics and aficionados also noted Iverson's energetic physical technique when painting: the artist bounced around in a ritualistic dance-like manner as he put brush to canvas.

Gallery owner Ingrid Mueller recalled the first time she saw Iverson's unusual painting style when she visited him at his studio in Fredericton.

While listening to loud music, Iverson "literally danced in front of the canvas, splashing great big gobs of paint," she said.

While at first she was surprised by his technique, "he knew what he was doing," Mueller said.

"You would think 'Oh my goodness,'" she said, "and then a landscape would emerge."

In addition to being a working artist, Iverson spent some of his time as an art instructor, teaching classes at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and at the Saidye Bronfman Centre.

Iverson's work has been shown in both solo and group exhibitions across Canada and overseas. His paintings are held by collections across the country, including Fredericton's Beaverbrook Art Gallery.

A memorial service for Iverson is scheduled to take place in Montreal on Friday.