Robert Vincent

Robert Vincent was born on December 8, 1908 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. He immigrated to Canada, settling in Russell, Manitoba in 1927 and lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from 1947 until his death on September 30th, 1984. Vincent was mostly self-taught and often described as a folk artist. He was a member of the British Royal Engineers Expeditionary Force in France during World War II and his duties included teaching drawing to various army engineers. Between 1947 and the 1960's, Vincent was a construction worker and field engineer with the Transcanada Highway development. With a diverse range of subject matter which included landscape,animal studies and figurative work; Vincent painted in what has been described as a naive style in both watercolour and oil and created wood carvings. He participated in various solo and group exhibitions, including his first show in 1940 in Newcastle-On-Tyne, England, with the Laing Gallery in Newcastle, England in 1941 and a touring 1984 retrospective entitled, "Robert Vincent Selected Works, 1950-1981", organized by the Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon.

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION

Primarily self-taught

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:

1984 Robert Vincent: Selected Works, 1950-1981, (toured) Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
1980 Robert Vincent, The Gallery/art placement inc., Saskatoon
1977 St. Thomas More Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
1974 Gordon Snelgrove Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
1970 St. Thomas More Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
1941 Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle, England
1940 Newcastle-on-Tyne, England

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

1993 Urban Prairie, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan (toured)
1987 Tradition and Innovation: Saskatoon Art and the 1950s, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan
1982 Saskatchewan Landscape Painters, Virginia Christopher Galleries, Calgary,Alberta. Saskatoon Early Images,Frances Morrison Library Gallery, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan
1980 Watercolour Painting in Saskatchewan 1905-1980, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan. Made in Saskatchewan, Susan Whitney Gallery, Regina,Saskatchewan
1979 Prairie Suite, Shoestring Gallery, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan (toured). Summer '79, Kesik Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan. The Christmas Show,Kesik Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
1978 The Saskatchewan Arts Board Collection, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
1977 Saskatchewan Arts Board Watercolours, Gallery on the Roof, Regina,Saskatchewan
1976 Grassroots Saskatchewan, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, Saskatchewan
1974 Greg Hardy/Robert Vincent, Dunlop Art Gallery (RPL), Regina, Saskatchewan
1958 Ninth Annual Exhibition of Saskatchewan Art, Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina
1957 Eighth Annual Exhibition of Saskatchewan Art, Saskatoon Arts Centre, Saskatoon,Saskatchewan(toured). Third Winnipeg Show,Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg,Manitoba
1955 Sixth Annual Exhibition of Saskatchewan Art, Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina (toured)
1951 Second Annual Exhibition of Saskatchewan Art, Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina (toured)

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:

Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina
Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina
Mendel Art Gallery,Saskatoon
Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina
University of Saskatchewan,Saskatoon

AWARDS:

Various Saskatchewan Arts Board Awards

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Brochu,Brenda. "Robert Vincent: A Matter of Insight." Commentator (Saskatoon), 28 January 1970.
Burke,Lora. "Prairie Watercolours Being Exhibited." The Leader Post (Regina), 19 August 1977.
Christie,Robert. "Prairie Suite."Shoestring Gallery, Saskatoon, 1979. "Watercolour Painting in Saskatchewan 1905-1980." Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon,1981. p. 29, illus.
Fudge,Paul. "Saskatchewan History in Art Form." The Leader Post (Regina), 28 June 1980.
Kobayashi,Terry and Michael Bird. A Compedium of Canadian Folk Artists. Erindale,Ontario, Boston Mills Press,1985.
McKendry,Blake. A Dictionary of Folk Artists in Canada from the 17th Century to the Present. Elginburg,Ontario: Blake McKendry, 1988.
Millard, Peter. "Robert Vincent: Selected Works 1950-1981" (essay to accompany exhibition), Mendel Art Gallery, 1984. Illus.
"Obituary." Star Phoenix,Saskatoon.2 October 1984.
Pratt,Florence. "Vincent's Oils at St. Thomas More."Star Phoenix,Saskatoon, 24 January 1970.
Ring,Dan. "Tradition and Innovation: Saskatoon Art and the 1950s." Mendel Art Gallery,Saskatoon, 1987. The Urban Prairie, Mendel Art Gallery,Saskatoon and Fifth House Publishers,Saskatoon, 1993.
The Saskatchewan Arts Board Collection. Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina,1978, p. 76,illus.
Saskatoon Early Images. Saskatoon Heritage Society, 1982.
Schacherl,Eva. "Robert Vincent Derives Art from Memories." Star Phoenix, Saskatoon,1 December 1977,illus.
"Robert Vincent's Painting Lesson." Star Phoenix,Saskatoon, 21 June 1980.
Thauberger,David. Grassroots Saskatchewan. Regina, Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, 1976,illus.