Skip to Main Content

Name (English only)

Jack Shadbolt

Brief_Bio

1909-1998

Artist Detail - v3

Jack Shadbolt was born in 1909 in Shoeburyness, England, and came to Canada in 1912. The young Shadbolt was raised in Victoria, British Columbia. His father was a craftsman and his mother a dressmaker. Shadbolt struggled to be understood in a culture that, when he began, was not ready for modern art. He studied in New York, London, and Paris. During World War II he was in charge of the Canadian Army War Artists in London.

Shadbolt taught at the Vancouver School of Art from 1938 to 1966 and was an important contributor to the development of abstraction and modernism in this region and in Canada. Indeed, he is widely regarded as one of Canada's most important artists of the 20th C. and his work has continued to appreciate in value and reach an ever-growing audience since his death in 1998. A.J. Kristiansen, in a 1990, exhibition catalogue observed "on one level, Shadbolt's paintings participate in the international dialogue of twentieth century modernism and post modernism - [but] unlike his eastern contemporaries, Shadbolt's primitivist interests were local - Northwest Coast aboriginal art. Even his 1980's works, which in a global sense can be seen as connected to the ecological movement, are site specific. They represent the landscape of B.C."

Shadbolt's work is represented in all major public collections in Canada and in numerous corporate and private collections. He was the recipient of many awards throughout his career and with his wife Doris established the VIVA Foundation, which provides funding for visual artists. Shadbolt died in 1998.

Artworks

  • 1 - 21 of 21
ImageTitleDate MadePlace MadeCollectionsMaterialsMeasurementsEditionCredit Line
After FireAfter Fire1980Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on Papermixed media; acrylic; watercolouroverall: 51.00 cm x 66.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Orange Rock and Wading BirdsOrange Rock and Wading Birdsn.d.British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperInk; Watercolouroverall: 75.00 cm x 93.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Seated WomenSeated Women1979Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperInk; Pigmentoverall: 31.00 cm x 22.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Spirit ImplodingSpirit Imploding1997Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperLithographoverall: 30.00 cm x 35.00 cm-Gift of Karen Henry
Still Life Against WaterStill Life Against Water1963-1980Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperAcrylic; collageoverall: 60.00 cm x 77.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Untitled (Fish)Untitled (Fish)1985CanadaWorks on Papermixed media; charcoal; watercolour; acrylic[?]overall: 56.00 cm x 77.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Begetting GreenBegetting Green1967British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperSerigraphoverall: 50.40 cm x 38.30 cm x 0.00 cm34/50Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Maxwell Bates
Birds in a Tree #2Birds in a Tree #21981Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on Papercollage; paintoverall: 100.00 cm x 64.50 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Solid Citizen CatSolid Citizen Cat1993British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperLithographoverall: 76.00 cm x 56.50 cm x 0.00 cm4/60Gift of Torrie Groening
Morning EpiphanyMorning Epiphany1991CanadaWorks on Paperserigraphoverall: 61.00 cm x 81.00 cm x 0.00 cm84/90Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Untitled (Abstract)Untitled (Abstract)1985British Columbia, CanadaWorks on ClothAcrylicoverall: 106.50 cm x 145.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Red InsectRed Insect1980CanadaWorks on PaperMagazine Paper, Paint (tempera?)overall: 27.20 cm x 38.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of Edward Burns Harvey and Lorna R. Marsden
Swamp ThemeSwamp Theme1961-1962British Columbia, CanadaWorks on ClothAcrylicoverall: 111.00 cm x 137.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Alma Mater Society, UVic
Wild Grass #2Wild Grass #21969-79-Works on Paperacrylicoverall: 103.00 cm x 67.00 cm-Gift of Kenneth and Joyce Morton
Islamic Garden MemoryIslamic Garden Memory1982British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperAcrylicoverall: 76.20 cm x 101.60 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of Jack Shadbolt
Hockey OwlHockey Owl1984-Works on PaperAcrylicoverall: 151.50 cm x 100.00 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
The Red HouseThe Red House1946CanadaWorks on PaperWatercolouroverall: 76.00 cm x 96.50 cm x 0.00 cm-Gift of Dr. Gwladys Downes
Negative PositiveNegative Positive1964British Columbia, CanadaWorks on BoardOiloverall: 50.00 cm x 42.10 cm x 0.00 cm-Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
BiomorphicBiomorphic1988Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaWorks on Clothacrylicoverall: 118.75 cm x 268.75 cm-Gift of the Estate of Michael C. Williams
Under Mt. CanigouUnder Mt. Canigoun.d.British Columbia, CanadaWorks on BoardOiloverall: 41.00 cm x 33.10 cm x 0.00 cm-Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
Six OwlsSix Owlsc. 1972British Columbia, CanadaWorks on PaperWatercolouroverall: 107.40 cm x 138.00 cm x 5.00 cm-Purchased with assistance of the University of Victoria Art Acquisition Fund
  • 1 - 21 of 21