25 Facts About Illingworth Kerr

Illingworth "Buck" Kerr was a Canadian painter, illustrator and writer.

Illingworth Kerr is best known for his landscape paintings of the Saskatchewan and Alberta prairies and foothills.

Illingworth Holey Kerr was born on 20 August 1905 in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, 31 kilometres northwest of the city of Regina.

Illingworth Kerr's parents were William Hugh and Florence Kerr.

Illingworth Kerr then returned to Lumsden where he found work on harvest and railway crews.

Illingworth Kerr painted signs and trapped, and was a writer and illustrator.

Illingworth Kerr painted when he had time in a tiny studio above the town's pool hall.

In 1936 Illingworth Kerr traveled to England and studied at the Westminster School of Art in London.

The Kerr's lived in Montreal for a period, where Illingworth Kerr collaborated on illustrations of Canada for the 1939 New York World's Fair.

The Illingworth Kerr's moved to British Columbia and lived in turn in White Rock, Cultus Lake and Vancouver.

Illingworth Kerr taught at the Vancouver School of Art from 1945 to 1947.

Illingworth Kerr became a member of the British Columbia Society of Artists and the Federation of Canadian Artists, then headed by Lawren Harris.

Illingworth Kerr was appointed director of the art department of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Arts in Calgary in 1947.

Illingworth Kerr was president of the Alberta Society of Artists from 1952 to 1953.

Illingworth Kerr wrote short stories, illustrated many publications, and was a member of the Canadian Authors Association.

Illingworth Kerr attended Emma Lake Artist's Workshops in 1955 and 1957.

Illingworth Kerr retired from teaching in 1967 and entered a period of great artistic productivity, painting landscapes and making drawings and prints of animals.

Illingworth Kerr received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary in 1973.

In 1983 Illingworth Kerr was named to the Order of Canada.

Illingworth Kerr made pictures of First Nations people, portraits, towns, wild animals and the landscapes of the prairies and Ontario.

Illingworth Kerr drew in charcoal and ink, and painted in oil, acrylic and watercolour.

Illingworth Kerr experimented with abstracts based on the spaces of the prairie.

Illingworth Kerr held retrospective exhibitions in 1940,1962,1975 and 1985.

Illingworth Kerr's work is held by the Art Gallery of Alberta, the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, the University of Lethbridge collection and the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon.

Illingworth Kerr was the central reference point for artistic morality and dynamic living.