monogrammed lower right; signed & titled verso
Illingworth Kerr was born and raised in Lumsden, Saskatchewan. He began to draw and paint at a young age, under the tutelage of his mother, a watercolour artist. His work showed great promise and, at just shy of his fourteenth birthday, he earned 13 gold medals at the Regina Exhibition of 1919. A few years later, between 1923 and 1927, Kerr undertook formal training at the Ontario College of Art, and through association, was exposed to the artistic ideals of the Group of Seven. Kerr hoped to return home and apply a new approach to the unique Prairie landscape, its representation challenged by open spaces and wide horizons. Kerr was unable to find success during the Depression, so left for England.
Kerr spent 10 years away from Canada, returning in 1946 after accepting a teaching position at the Vancouver School of Art. The following year, he moved to Calgary to head the Art Department at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art. Under his 20-year tenure, Kerr lay the foundation for the Alberta College of Art (now the fully accredited Alberta University of the Arts) and had far-reaching influence as an instructor and mentor.
Kerr was only able to paint full-time after his retirement in 1967, and these were productive years. In 1973, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary. In 1975, a retrospective of his work was presented at the gallery of the Alberta College of Art (later renamed the Illingworth Kerr Gallery). This exhibition subsequently toured to Regina and Saskatoon. In 1983, he was named to the Order of Canada. In 1985, a major retrospective of Kerr’s work “Harvest of the Spirit” debuted at the Edmonton Art Gallery before continuing on to nine Canadian cities. Kerr was an influential artist and instructor and dedicated his career to bringing a contemporary artistic interpretation to the Prairies.
