By Mark Skeffington One notable admirer of Canadian artist William John Hopkinson’s paintings was the American actor Vincent Price, best known for starring in dozens of gothic horror movies. Vincent Price (1911-1993) penned a letter to W.J. Hopkinson on the occasion of the Newmarket, Ontario artist’s 80th birthday in 1967. The letter reads: “Dear William Hopkinson. As a long time admirer of your beautiful paintings, may I join the throng in wishing you a very Happy Birthday! … [Read more...]
2017 David Blackwood Guide
By Mark Skeffington Some 2 ½ years ago, FineArtCollector published a story called A Guide to David Blackwood’s Best Prints. Since then, several thousand people have read the blog post. Now is a good time to update this guide. Our first guide shone the spotlight on six David Blackwood prints, selected from more than 150 etchings based on factors such as beauty, majesty, desirability, scarcity and reputation. That list looked like this: Fire Down on the Labrador(1980, etching … [Read more...]
Steve Wells: Art Collector, ALS Survivor
By Mark Skeffington Steve Wells’ hospital room walls are covered with Canadian art. Steve, who is North America’s longest living person with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), has made a conscious decision to surround himself with beautiful things that bring him joy as he continues to beat the odds against the terminal disease. "Yes, I have ALS. Yes, I reside in a hospital. SO WHAT! Life is what you make it, so If surrounding myself with art brings me pleasure, why wouldn't I do it,” … [Read more...]
Photographing Your Art Collection
By Mark Skeffington Everyone should photograph their art collection. Taking digital photographs of every valuable art piece you own provides a record of your art collection that can be useful if: 1. Your art is stolen 2. Your art is damaged 3. Your art needs to be valued or appraised 4. You pass away If, for example, your art was stolen or lost in a fire, what record would you have of what you owned? How would you prove to an insurance agent that you … [Read more...]
CBC Digital Archives Chronicle Canadian Art
By Mark Skeffington The CBC Digital Archives is a treasure trove for anyone interested in Canadian art history. Over the decades, Canada’s national broadcaster has interviewed a Who’s Who of Canadian artists and documented, in radio and TV clips, dozens of fascinating visual arts stories. CBC’s archives are extensive, covering all aspects of Canadian life over the decades. But it is the coverage of Canadian art that is of interest here. As one might expect, the Group of Seven has … [Read more...]
E-books Bring Canadian Art History to Life
By Mark Skeffington An ambitious project is breathing new life into Canadian art history. The project involves publishing a series of e-books on notable Canadian artists, with an emphasis on ground-breaking artists, both historical and contemporary. The Art Canada Institute has already published a dozen titles, with six more scheduled to come out between now and next spring. “The Art Canada Institute's goal is to get Canadians talking about historic art today. We believe that the … [Read more...]
Adrian Dingle: Comic Book Pioneer
By Mark Skeffington Long before Adrian Dingle became an admired Canadian painter, he had already made his mark as a comic book writer and artist. The year was 1941, and Canada was at war with Nazi Germany. Because of the war, Canada had slapped restrictions on imports of non-essential goods from the United States (which was still not fighting in the Second World War). These non-essentials included comic books. That opened the door to Adrian Dingle to start his own company, … [Read more...]