I was born in Brantford, Ontario during the summer of 1953. Some years later, after bouncing between southern Ontario and Winnipeg for a couple of years, my family landed in Winnipeg (by grade 6 for me). With my family, I went regularly to Broadway First Baptist Church*. I was elected student body president of Grant Park High School in grade 12. (We initiated students being able to leave the school during spares and started a teacher/student liason committee.)
I then attended the University of Manitoba where I graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours degree (an early version of a master’s degree). I studied ceramics (major), drawing, art history, the Christian Bible, English literature and computer science.
Following graduation I moved to Calgary where I lived for 11 years. I managed to produce some pottery, however, my preference for a high key palette meant working in earthenware for which there was no market.
Among other things I then worked as a graphic designer (for 5 1/2 years) for The Chandler Kennedy Architectural Group, The LeBlond Partnership and then freelance. And, I started drawing in earnest.
In 1983, I chose to pursue the path of visual artist and have worked at a variety of jobs since, mostly as a bartender or waiter, but also as a census taker and election worker.
In 1986, I moved to Vancouver for six months then got on a motorcycle and rode to Isla Mujeres, Mexico where I stayed for four and a half months before returning to Winnipeg via Halifax (by plane).
I then returned to art school at the University of Manitoba where I studied painting for one year. I was considering a Master’s Degree in painting but decided art school was not the place for me. (Some years later I also studied the philosophy of art at the University of Winnipeg.)
In 1987 I moved into Winnipeg’s Exchange District where I camped out in four different warehouse spaces for 10 years. During this time I ran an open studio.
I also co-founded and chaired (for 5 years) a non-profit arts group called Independent Canadian Artists (ICA). We hosted literary readings, visual art shows, and published STREET magazine.
In the late 90s I put down my pencil and brush. This followed a period of being caught up in arts politics. ICA also took the Manitoba Arts Council to task over its abuse of artists. At the end of this time my work was available through Art Rental & Sales at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). Many of my pieces were out on rent for some time when I asked the management there to make use of what was called a Bill of Sale contract if they were to sell my paintings. After a year’s persistence on my part they told me, “No. And, if you don't like it come and get your work.” I thought about this for some time, then decided to contact The Winnipeg Free Press, where one of my paintings was prominently displayed, to see if they would rent it directly from me.
Two days later a large truck from the WAG showed up outside my studio and all my work was returned to me. I became persona non grata in the local arts scene.
I stayed in the Exchange District for a while longer and wrote the essays posted on this website. I then moved to Winnipeg’s suburbs and worked as head waiter at Chamberlyn’s Restaurant. During this period I started scanning slides of my drawings and paintings.
In 2002, “story of the red” was exhibited at the Piano Nobile Gallery in Winnipeg’s Centennial Concert Hall.
In 2003, I moved to Silver Plains, Manitoba, where I now reside.
In 2004, I met big bluestem (Manitoba's "provincial grass"). And in 2006, the decision was made to replant the five acre site to Native tallgrass prairie. This simple choice has presented a lot of information about what humans are doing to the biosphere we all inhabit. It has also resulted in countless hours each year germinating seedlings, digging transplants, planting, weeding, burning ... the list goes on.
In 2008, I designed and built my first website. Since then I have designed, built and posted a number of websites, including this one. And considerable time has been spent researching and photographing Native plants and developing the website for the Silver Plains Project.
In October 2014, I ran for Councillor of the Rural Municipality of Morris. In March 2016, I ran again in a by-election. I was not elected.
In the spring of 2018, I published on renting versus selling original visual artworks (online). This is an economic comparison which I started working on back when I wrote the essays mentioned earlier. On “paper” RENTERs come out way better than SELLERs and clients can spend time with a lot more artwork. One of the most interesting observations from potential clients was that they would be more likely to rent disturbing pieces because of a commitment aspect to buying works; which exlcudes troubling works.
That summer I began recording (with photographs) the goings on out here on the plains. My encounters from my daily walkabouts are presented on the Silver Plains Project website: we are tallgrass prairie 2018.
In 2021, I photographed a pair of killdeers building a nest and raising their chicks. While ready for publication my booklet killdeer ~ the next generation is on hold due to the cost of printing being too great.
current
In late 2021 extensive renovations to the main building were started. This included adding insulation to the attic (which has improved living here in winter considerably). And then reworking/extending an existing upper level from about 350 sq ft to 1,250 sq ft.
main layout
upper layoutWhile previously most of the interior was the full height (16 ft), there are now two full height spaces bisected by the extended living area; one will be my studio and the other a gallery. The remaining main floor has a storage/print room for my art work, a computer workstation, general workshop, two general storage rooms and a library. New windows on the east, west and south walls of the upper level let in a lot of light and provide amazing views to the horizon.
view to the south
south face
This endeavour is dragging on much longer than anticipated. A combination of factors have contributed to now having to do most of the remaining work myself. (As of February 2024, the framing is done, some wiring and drywalling remain, then finishing and painting most of the interior walls and ceilings. And installing the new flooring.) I look forward to completing it. I very much want to get back to drawing and painting (and perhaps some more writing). And, of course, more prairie flora and fauna photography.
volunteer
Over the years I have contributed my time to:
Uncles-at-Large (Calgary’s version of Big Brothers)
Calgary City Ballet (donated all of my design work)
Royal Winnipeg Ballet (manned the gift shop and helped at Ballet in the Park)
Independent Canadian Artists (all of our efforts were free of charge)
Silver Plains Project (both actual and virtual)
Joomla’s en-GB User Interface Text Working Group.
* While I was raised in the Baptist Church and got caught up in the "charismatic movement" of the early 1970s, I have, since studying the Christian Bible at unversity, drifted from the faith. A Church of England Bishop—Charles Gore—(who I read while doing research for a paper in one class) opened the gate. A statement of his stayed with me over the years: “If you don't truly believe, then, even if you are a priest, you should go outside the fold.” (Jesus is known as the good shepherd.) It's worth noting that "protestant" variants of the faith overlook that the book (purloined by Martin Luther) was assembled to substantiate the need for a priesthood. Canonization of the documents came about after Constantine's vision (October 312 CE) which induced a choice by the Romans between Mithra and Jesus. The latter was deemed better for conquering. As well the four gospels (in particular) were derived from various copies. (Lost originals were written 30 to 70 years after the alleged life of Christ.) And His death (according to those documents) was caused by God's "chosen people" (the authors of the Old Testament) who rejected Him as the long promised "messiah". Karen Armstrong's book A History of God is worth reading.
