Not much came of it until I came to Canada in 1956,
after spending four years at sea, roaming the world.
In the sixties, I studied with a local artist in North
Toronto, but no real talent materialized until my
family and I moved to Nova Scotia in 1958. There,
I met Mischa German van Eck, who was to become my
mentor. At the time, I was a sales manager often away
from home, but when I was able, I studied with Mischa
at Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax. Gouache,
acrylic and the occasional water colour were the media
that I used, but Mischa convinced me to use oils and
encouraged me to develop a technique which I still
use to this day. With her encouragement, I developed
some renown as a marine artist and my paintings were
included in traveling exhibitions throughout the Maritime
Provinces. Zwicker’s, Canada’s oldest
private gallery was quite successful in promoting
my work.
While living in St. Louis between 1982 and 1985,
I was a member of the St. Louis Artists’ Guild
and on my return to Ontario, I continued to develop,
with the encouragement of my family and the capable
criticism of my eldest daughter, herself an accomplished
artist. We have moved further north from Toronto,
where because of the location, landscapes now predominate,
although I still get the opportunity to produce a
seascape or a least a lake scene. What I produce appears
to be well accepted and has found appreciative buyers
throughout Canada, the United States and the United
Kingdom.
Things automotive have long interested me and have
been reflected in my art. In 2001 and 2004 my paintings
took first prize at the Art of the Automobile show,
held at the Canadian International Automobile Show,
through the auspices of the Automobile Journalists
Association of Canada.
My paintings have been selected for exhibition at
the Varley Gallery in Unionville, at the Huronia Museum
in Midland and at the Center of Visual Arts in Wausau,
WI where I received an Award of Excellence. In December
2003, my painting “New Skates at City Hall”
was selected by the City of Barrie for the cover of
their 150th Anniversary Christmas card.
