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Dedicated to the memory of a great Canadian E. Conyers Barker
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| Ernest Conyers Barker RCA. OSA. CSPWC. SCA. (Canadian Artist) 1909-2003 |
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'The Horizontal Boy'
Mother Earth A Biography: By David Freeman |
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| Conyers Barker The Last Photograph Conyers Barker ' The Seeing Mind' ©Jackie Freeman Sketching in Algonquin Park in 1929 |
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A very young Ernie Conyers Barker slouches on on the far right of this early photograph by Charles Comfort, taken in 1932 at a CSPWC meeting (Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour) which was founded in 1925 by some of the most illustrious artists in Canadian art history. The venue was in the Library of the Grange, in the early days when there was only a handful of members. Conyers is pictured here with Joachim Gauthier, the President of the society, Franklin Carmichael, A. J Casson and Tom MacLean. Charles Comfort himself was to become President of the society in 1950. The CSPWC founders were: F.H. Brigden, A.J. Casson, Franklin Carmichael, C.W. Jefferys, Fred S. Haines, L.A.C. Panton, R.F. Gagen, Thomas G. Greene, Robert Holmes, Franz Johnston, Andre Lapine, and E.J. Sampson. With Brigden and Panton formally tutoring Conyers in his art. A friend of the great artist Franklin Carmichael, mentored by Joachim Gauthier, Tom MacLean, A.J.Casson and Franz Johnston, Conyers was affectionately labled 'the Horizontal Boy' early in his artistic career by Dorians of the art world and distinguished members of the Group of Seven who were equally intrigued and puzzled by the linear stratum which he introduced into his painting.
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Conyers Barker: A distinguished self portrait
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______________________________________________________ A Biographical Summary of the life of : E. Conyers Barker |
Algonquin painting trip in the 20's |
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Born: Toronto-18th March 1909 — Died: Barrie Ontario- 5th. December 2003
Taken from his biography by David Freeman |
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Photo by Peter Northcott Georgian Bay. E Conyers Barker Oil on canvas Board
Conyers Barker was a fine Canadian representational artist and best known for his landscapes in watercolour, oils and acrylics of the varied, wild and distinctive landscapes of the Canada he loved. He was a significant, well loved and respected member of the Canadian art scene for many years and exhibited widely, yet wasn't to make the headlines nor attain the dizzy heights of his mentors within the group of seven he knew, nor to ever receive the critical acclaim that he clearly deserved. Not at least until much later in his life.
Conyers Barker , know as Ernie Barker back then, was born in Toronto in 1909, the son of a failing artist, Conyers studied at the Central Technical School under Lawrence Panton, Alfred Howell, Bernard Coghll and Peter Haworth and latterly under the acclaimed Canadian landscape artist Frederick Henry Brigden down at the old Ontario School of Art. At the early age of 17, Conyers won the significant distinction of having a painting hung at the Art Gallery of Toronto, later to become the AGO. I remember fondly of him telling me that this was in recognition of his 'non conformative' linear approach to landscape painting'. This was his own
ideographic
invention with which he simplified and stylized colour shapes to suggest landscape forms. Others say however and why am I to question it, that it was because he has the guts to go against the grain? Probably it was a bit of both. Typically, Conyers always had done and always did do his own thing. Never conforming to the norm in the shadowy days of his struggling earlier career, by painting in the manner of the Canadian Group of Seven as the art world wanted, nor painting what others around him though he should paint. As a result, he sold barely enough to live on and often went hungry.
Despite the crippling disabilities he suffered daily as a result of contracting polio as an infant, Conyers worked assiduously throughout his life, especially up in Northern Ontario woods and the wetlands and forests of Algonquin Park. Following in the footsteps of his boyhood hero and earliest artistic influence, Tom Thomson.
Conyers, always the free spirit, would drive into the wilds alone, often for days at a time with the help of a trusty block of spruce wood lashed to the accelerator of his old Ford car. This classic Conyers invention compensating for the shortness of his polio stricken leg. The artwork flowed and his independence shone as he always did. It would to the end. Yet Conyers' principal ambition, particularly during his middle years, was to become the finest abstract artist in Canada but this too was not to materialise. Primarily this has to be put down to the development of his own unique and distinctive style of realism which overtook him with a passion. It is this unique quality in his painting that brought him at last some long deserved commercial success and a little public recognition but that was late in a career as an individualist. Traveling extensively throughout Canada, particularly in the Prairie Provinces and the Maritimes, explorer Conyers had also painted in Florida, the Caribbean & the Dominican Republic and over the pond in Scotland, Wales and England where one of his paintings now hangs in the Queens collection at Windsor castle. |
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Conyers TV Graphics from CKVR now the NEW VR |
Actively painting well into his celebrated nineties, the worst thing that can happen to an artist did. Blindness finally overtaking him the year before his death. David Freeman: |
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Original works of art by |
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We are grateful to all of the owners and collectors of Conyers Barker paintings from around the world for allowing us to display them on this ever growing information site. If you have a Conyers Barker painting, please contact us. We will be delighted to hear from you as we are currently compiling a catalogue raissone of his works. Contact. conyers (at) freemanart (dot) ca |
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Gods Country: E.Conyers Barker Watercolour and bodycolour on paper Signed Bottom Right - Conyers Barker 19 1/4 " x 13 1/4 " (490 x 336) approx. Inscribed verso. |
Starting the planting. Holland Marsh Watercolour and bodycolour on paper Signed Bottom Right - Conyers Barker |
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Early paintings in oils: |
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Ernest Conyers Barker 'Sanctuary' "The Old Docherty House 4th Concession - Nottawasaga" |
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Ernest Conyers Barker West Hill 1929 ORO- Oil on board. |
Ernest Conyers Barker Oil on Canvas board |
Ernest Conyers Barker West Hill 1929 Oil on Canvas board |
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E.Conyers Barker An Algonquin Trail - Oil 16 x 12" Oil on card |
An Algonquin Stream - 31 This oil on board went to New Zealand |
Self Portrait Unfinished oil on board |
CN Snow blower
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Conyers Barker's works of art fall in to quite specific chronological categories They range from the atypical 'earlies' of the time frame, aka., group of seven influenced oils, to the period when he was seeking his own new evolution. It takes us through the rare cubism and abstractionist periods to the traveling times in Florida, the Dominican Republic, Europe, the barns and finally to the Horizontals. |
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Traditional works in watercolour: |
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Rain clouds over Holland Marsh (Near Bradford Ontario) Inscribed and signed verso. Watercolour on paper 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 " 260 x 194 mm.(approx)
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Lake of Bays Conyers Barker 13 1/2 x 9 Watercolour |
Towards the Blue Mountains, September Conyers Barker Watercolour with pen and ink 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 " 260 x 194 mm.(approx) |
Manitoba Wheat fields E. Conyers Barker |
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| Snow over Simcoe County. | Eight Pines Watercolour |
Summer in Holland Marsh Watercolour |
Prairies Watercolour |
Lake and Landscapes in watercolour |
Conyers painted many works in the areas surrounding the Holland Marsh and Holland Landing near Bradford, Ontario. They are fresh and quite captivating images. |
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Manatoulin Island Watercolour |
Elk Lake Road |
Meadowlands Watercolour |
Corn showing through. Watercolour |
Shallows-Fairy Lake Oil pastel painting |
Vegetable Sheds, Holland Marsh. Watercolour |
Gray Lake Watercolour |
Lake Temagami (4 known) Watercolour |
The Barns: Barns and old farm buildings were a particular delight to Conyers Barker and often feature in his works. |
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Barns near Stroud, Ontario October 1991 Inscribed and signed verso & Signed bottom right .Watercolour on paper
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12 th Line / Vespra Drawing in ink. |
One of Conyers most celebrated paintings was Blue Barn
There were very few limited edition prints made during his life, but here is one of the best. 24 x 18" Signed: Limited Edition Lithograph |
Wilhemina |
Florida and the Dominican Republic. Works of art from this period are extremely rare and yet played an important role in the realisation and development of his unique style. Conyers told me,..." it was here that I finally found myself." Even more rare are his figurative subjects. |
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Near Stuart - Florida 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 " 260 x 194 mm .(approx) |
Florida Morning |
Tamiami Trail - Hwy 41- Florida 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 " 260 x 194 mm.(approx) |
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| Small boat heading out to sea. | Summer in Blue Dominican Republic |
Dominican morning 15 x 11 " Signed bottom right |
Dominican seascape
10 1/4 x 7 1/2 " |
Abstract art and Cubism Few and far between are examples of these rare works in the series. Life, Flight and Sail. |
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Ten |
Flight North |
Space Platform 3 |
Mankind Released as a limited edition print.
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It was this tiny little creation, a single tree that was to become a signture feature in Conyers work. It was created to symbolise Conyers love of nature, his mother earth and his faith in God. It appears consistently throughout his latter works becoming sometimes more graphic and simplistic. |
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Northern Pines Watercolour |
The Tree Line Watercolour |
Rocky Hillside Oil on Board |
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Golden Autumn
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Lone Pine Watercolour |
Ice. Watercolour |
Edge of the forest Watercolour |
Edge of the Forest Oil on board |
________________________________ It would be the stratified landscapes that were to become Conyers Barkers trade mark and these can be seen developing in the earlier, more traditional watercolour art which he produced so plentifully. Much rarer are his more figurative works, sought after these days by collectors and investors, alongside his early abstacts which ventured into his world of the obscure right through to cubism and his few and far between still lives. ____________________________ |
Self portrait
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EXHIBITIONS: |
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His exhibit inclusions and solo shows list is as creditable as it is extensive:
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Conyers Barker participated in numerous shows including those of societies of which he is a member. O.S.A, C.S.P.W.C. , R.C.A. 1990. CSGA (Ex President) Other exhibitions incl: United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, (British Embassy) Romania and the United Kingdom and the International Art Exhibition in Japan Barker: Represented in Major Collections: Her Majesty the Queen Collection. Windsor Castle
RVH, |
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References.
AH Robson 1932 H.Wolff - Toronto1978.
Art Sales Index. Exhibition Notice, Eatons Art Gallery Toronto 1985, including reproduction of landscape by the artist. |
uk (at) freemanart (dot) ca Copyright 2003 Freemanart:
and protected under |
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