Nationality Polish Canadian Known for watercolour painting | Name Bruno Bobak | |
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Full Name Brunislaw Jacob Bobak Died September 24, 2012, Saint John, Canada | ||
Bruno Bobak, CM (born Brunislaw Jacob Bobak; 27 December 1923 – 24 September 2012) was a Polish-born Canadian war painter and art teacher. His medium was watercolour painting.
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Early years and war artist
Born in Wawelowska, Poland, Bobak's family left in 1925 and eventually settled in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1925. Bobak lived in Toronto where he studied art at Central Technical School and under Arthur Lismer. Boback moved to Hamilton, Ontario. He settled in Toronto in 1935. He studied at the Art Gallery of Toronto under Arthur Lismer.
Bobak joined the Canadian Army in 1942, following high school. He won first prize in Canadian Army Art Competition. He was named as an Official War Artist. He served in Europe as Canada's youngest war artist in World War II.
Teaching career
After the war Bobak returned to Canada and lived briefly in Ottawa before moving with his wife (whom he met in London) to Vancouver in 1947 to teach art at the Vancouver School of Art. The Bobaks moved one final time to New Brunswick in 1960 and he became artist in residence at the University of New Brunswick. Bobak was appointed Director of the University of New Brunswick's Art Centre. Retired in 1986, Bobak remained in New Brunswick until his death.
In 1995, along with his wife fellow war artist Molly Bobak, he became a Member of the Order of Canada.
Personal
Bobak married Molly Bobak in 1945 and is survived by two children, Alexander Bobak (b. 1946) and Anny Scoones (b. 1957) and grandchild Julia Bobak.
Collections
Bobak's work is primarily found in Canada, but they can be found also in the United States, Poland and Britain.
Recognition
On 8 September 1998 Canada Post issued 'The Farmer's Family (detail), 1970, Bruno Bobak' in the Masterpieces of Canadian art series. The stamp was designed by Pierre-Yves Pelletier based on an watercolour painting "The Farmer's Family" (1970) by Brunislaw Jacob Bobak in the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, New Brunswick. The 90¢ stamps are perforated 12.5 X 13 and were printed by Ashton-Potter Limited.