Operated by the Calgary Contemporary Arts Society

March 19 – April 28, 2010

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At the Crossroads:
Helen Stadelbauer and Wes Irwin

1. Helen Stadelbauer; portrait photograph, early 1940sAt the Crossroads is the first exhibition to focus on the artistic career and works by Helen Stadelbauer (1910-2006) and Wes Irwin (1897-1976). Curated by Mary-Beth Laviolette, independent curator, critic and author of numerous publications on Alberta contemporary art, this major survey exhibition brings together two artists who were intrinsically tied to the creative development of Calgary and the Alberta art scenes. Stadelbauer and Irwin have been credited as two of the earliest proponents of Modernism in Alberta, and they both brought elements of avant-garde, mid-century international style and teaching to their work. The work of each of the artists represented in this exhibition has played a critical role in the evolution of mid-20th century modernism in the art of this Province.

2. Helen Stadelbauer during her plein-air sojourn, early 1940s. Stadelbauer was a founder of the Art and Art Education Departments at the University of Calgary, and administrated them for close to thirty years. Irwin was a founding member of the Alberta Society of Artists in 1931, and its third president after Alfred C. Leighton and H.G. Glyde. A committed art educator, he taught for decades at Western Canada High School in Calgary after finishing an M.A. at Columbia University in New York.

The exhibition showcases oil paintings, watercolours and other works on paper‑many of which have never been exhibited before –  drawn mainly from the collections of the Glenbow Museum, The Nickle Arts Museum, University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections (Helen Stadelbauer Fond), the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and private lenders.

Jacek Malec
Director/Curator

Jacek Malec
Director/Curator
Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts

3. Recipients of the Alberta Society of Artists’ Recognition Award in 1989; 4. Wes Irwin in his studio in Calgary, 1963
5. Helen Stadelbauer – Fantasy Hill, 1939 6. Helen Stadelbauer – Youth, 1938/1940
7. Helen Stadelbauer – In the Foothills, 1943 8. Helen Stadelbauer – Rooftops, New York, 1948/1949
9. Helen Stadelbauer – Saskatchewan River Crossing, 1945 10. Helen Stadelbauer – Space Breaker, 1949
11. Helen Stadelbauer – Stacking Cubes, 1976 12. Wes Irwin – Early Autumn Near Calgary, late 1930s/early 1940s
13. Wes Irwin – Napili Bay, Maui, 1948 14. Wes Irwin – On the Highwood, 1952
15. Wes Irwin – Third Avenue EL, 1950 16. Wes Irwin – Faded Sunflowers, 1953
Helen Stadelbauer – Saskatchewan River Crossing, 1945 18. Wes Irwin – Untitled (Nude), n.d.
19. Wes Irwin – Montmartre, 1971 20. Wes Irwin – Alberta Elevator, 1972
21. Wes Irwin – At the Art Exhibit, n.d.  

 

List of Images (left to right, top to bottom):

  1. Helen Stadelbauer; portrait photograph, early 1940s. Collection of the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections – Helen Stadelbauer Fonds, Calgary. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  2. Helen Stadelbauer during her plein-air sojourn, early 1940s. Collection of Jean Pilch, Calgary. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  3. Recipients of the Alberta Society of Artists’ Recognition Award in 1989; back row (from left to right): Harry Kiyooka, Stan Blodgett, Isabel Stadelbauer.; front row (from left to right): Helen Stadelbauer, Douglas Motter and Barbara Roe-Hicklin. The event was held at the Heritage Park in Calgary. Photo by Brent Laycock. Collection of Jean Pilch, Calgary.
  4. Wes Irwin in his studio in Calgary, 1963. Collection of Jean Pilch, Calgary. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  5. Helen Stadelbauer – Fantasy Hill, 1939; linocut on paper. Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  6. Helen Stadelbauer – Youth, 1938/1940; gouache on paper. Collection of the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections – Helen Stadelbauer Fonds, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer
  7. Helen Stadelbauer – In the Foothills, 1943; oil on canvas board. Collection of the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections – Helen Stadelbauer Fonds, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer
  8. Helen Stadelbauer – Rooftops, New York, 1948/1949; acrylic on canvas. Collection of the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections – Helen Stadelbauer Fonds, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  9. Helen Stadelbauer – Saskatchewan River Crossing, 1945; watercolour on paper. Collection of the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections –Helen Stadelbauer Fonds, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  10. Helen Stadelbauer – Space Breaker, 1949; linocut on paper. Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  11. Helen Stadelbauer – Stacking Cubes, 1976; acrylic on canvas. Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Helen Stadelbauer.
  12. Wes Irwin – Early Autumn Near Calgary, late 1930s/early 1940s; oil on board. Collection of the Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  13. Wes Irwin – Napili Bay, Maui, 1948; acrylic and oil on canvas. Collection of the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  14. Wes Irwin – On the Highwood, 1952; acrylic and oil on canvas. Collection of the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  15. Wes Irwin – Third Avenue EL, 1950; lithograph on paper; (in:) Highlights, December 1950, Vol. 4, No. 2, 1950. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton. Photo by Neil Lazaruk. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  16. Wes Irwin – Faded Sunflowers, 1953; oil on masonite. Collection of the City of Calgary Civic Art Collection, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  17. Wes Irwin – Bowl of Flowers, 1953; oil on board. Collection of Henry Beaumont, Q.C., Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  18. Wes Irwin – Untitled (Nude), n.d.; charcoal on paper. Collection of Harry Kiyooka and Katie Ohe, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  19. Wes Irwin – Montmartre, 1971; acrylic on wood. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton. Photo by Neil Lazaruk. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  20. Wes Irwin – Alberta Elevator, 1972; acrylic on masonite. Collection of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton. Photo by Neil Lazaruk.  Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
  21. Wes Irwin – At the Art Exhibit, n.d.; oil on board. Collection of Glenbow Museum, Calgary. Photo by Christian Grandjean. Image copyright by the Estate of Wes Irwin.
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