By Mark Skeffington With hundreds of exhibits to his credit, artist John C. Leonard doesn’t worry about self-promotion or seek out publicity. “I’ve had more than 350 shows. I don’t need the promotion,” the 69-year-old Canadian artist says, explaining his relatively low profile, especially online. Stories and bios about John Leonard are hard to find, even though he has exhibited since the late 1960s in Canada and abroad, and his works are held in dozens of public and corporate … [Read more...]
Repatriating Conrad Furey’s art
October 7, 2013 by
Newfoundland-born Conrad Furey was a quintessential Canadian artist, so it seems strange to discover his artworks sitting in Hawaii. Conrad Furey is perhaps best known for his colourful, simply-rendered paintings depicting everyday life on the land and waters of Newfoundland: fishers fishing, mummers mummering, people dancing, etc. The largely self-taught artist also painted Canadians enjoying everyday life: people playing music, sports, going for balloon rides, even taking a bath. But … [Read more...]
The Longevity of Canadian Artists
September 3, 2013 by
The death of Alex Colville at age 92 in July 2013 was a reminder of the amazing longevity of many Canadian artists. Imagine an artistic career encompassing six or seven decades, plenty of time to explore different and sometimes ever-changing dreams, impulses, inspirations, influences, styles, mediums. Of course, not all Canadian artists had lives and creative careers spanning decades. Some, sadly, left us too soon – Tom Thomson at age 40, George Kulmala at 44 – before sharing all their … [Read more...]
Inukshuk | Ken Kirkby
August 13, 2013 by
Oil on Canvas Size: 30" by 36" Price: SOLD Details: Signed lower right. Framed: Black and grey wood frame, measures 36" by 42.5" Provenance: Private Collection Additional Information and Photos Available Upon Request … [Read more...]
Abstract | Peter Haworth
August 13, 2013 by
Acrylic on Masonite Size: 20" by 25" Price: SOLD Details: Signed lower right. Framed: Gold wood frame, with white linen mat, measures 31" by 36.5" Provenance: Private Collection Please tell us if you're interested in buying or selling works by Peter Haworth … [Read more...]
Museum celebrates art collecting
June 28, 2013 by
Tucked away in historic Queenston, Ontario is a small public art museum that celebrates art collecting and collectors. RiverBrink Art Museum houses the eclectic collection of Samuel E. Weir, an Ontario lawyer who had a passion for collecting paintings, sculpture, books, stamps, clocks and decorative arts – a collection of about 1,400 pieces. The love of collecting is stamped all over this little gem of a museum, which backs onto the picturesque Niagara River and is surrounded by beautiful … [Read more...]
J.W. Beatty: Deserves the Spotlight
June 7, 2013 by
During his lifetime (1869-1941), John William Beatty’s artistic status was often overshadowed by that of his contemporaries. Being overshadowed seems to be a recurring theme in the story of J.W. Beatty, both during his life and even now, some 70 years after his death. Although a friend, painting buddy and acknowledged influencer of Group of Seven members, including Tom Thomson, J.W. Beatty’s paintings never soared to the same heights in popularity or price, then or now (although his Canoe … [Read more...]
David Blackwood’s art tells my family’s story
May 15, 2013 by
You don't have to be a Newfoundlander to feel David Blackwood's art, but it helps. I'm not a Newfoundlander, but my family's lifeline run deep through the island's rocky skin and bones. My mother's family were fishers, jigging for cod for several generations in the deep waters off Upper Amherst Cove, a small fishing outport 10 kilometres from Bonavista, Canada's most easterly point, a 4-hour circuitous drive from St. John's. A boat can travel by straight line across the Atlantic between … [Read more...]
