I am not sure if other bloggers face the same dilemma I seem to be in week after week with my research efforts.
Of late, my blogs end noting stories planned for the next missive. But then the curse happens again!
Information arrives that I feel needs to be shared in a timely fashion. Thus, all good intentions to serve whatever is on the table seems to get pushed aside until the next blog.
That's the spot I am in today. I will be covering a subject today and another special blog tomorrow in this space. But both, yet again result in my tabling planned materials for today. I trust and hope that after reading this blog you will agree with this decision!
I shall start with this lady, who I knew nothing of a few weeks ago, and many of you perhaps have never heard of before. She is pictured below in the uniform of a Lieutenant in the Canadian Women's Army Corps ... the C.W.A.C.'s of WWll.
Of late, my blogs end noting stories planned for the next missive. But then the curse happens again!
Information arrives that I feel needs to be shared in a timely fashion. Thus, all good intentions to serve whatever is on the table seems to get pushed aside until the next blog.
That's the spot I am in today. I will be covering a subject today and another special blog tomorrow in this space. But both, yet again result in my tabling planned materials for today. I trust and hope that after reading this blog you will agree with this decision!
I shall start with this lady, who I knew nothing of a few weeks ago, and many of you perhaps have never heard of before. She is pictured below in the uniform of a Lieutenant in the Canadian Women's Army Corps ... the C.W.A.C.'s of WWll.
British Columbia born Mary Lamb joined the war effort with service in the CWAC from 1942-46. Soon promoted to Lieutenant she saw service at home and then overseas.
Her talents as an artist soon saw her being appointed as Canada's first... and only female war artist of WWll. Of a few dozen official war artists of the era, she would outlive all the rest. Her work was of a very high standard and some of her paintings ended up in the National Gallery of Canada.
In fact the federal government has catalogued her extensive war time diaries in the form of art work. These can be viewed at.... www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/second-world-war/molly-lamb-bobak/Pages/molly-lamb-bobak-artist.aspx
Her talents as an artist soon saw her being appointed as Canada's first... and only female war artist of WWll. Of a few dozen official war artists of the era, she would outlive all the rest. Her work was of a very high standard and some of her paintings ended up in the National Gallery of Canada.
In fact the federal government has catalogued her extensive war time diaries in the form of art work. These can be viewed at.... www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/second-world-war/molly-lamb-bobak/Pages/molly-lamb-bobak-artist.aspx
This work is quite fascinating and I encourage all to take some time to check it out.
I thank John Azar a fellow member of the Pacific Branch, of the Western Front Association for bringing me this information. John and his wife are well educated, a very active military historians and speakers locally, and strong advocates of my work. More importantly they are a great friend.
In telling me about Mary (Lamb) Bobak, John also shared the news that some of her work will be up in the lights...quite literally in the days to come.
I thank John Azar a fellow member of the Pacific Branch, of the Western Front Association for bringing me this information. John and his wife are well educated, a very active military historians and speakers locally, and strong advocates of my work. More importantly they are a great friend.
In telling me about Mary (Lamb) Bobak, John also shared the news that some of her work will be up in the lights...quite literally in the days to come.
After the great work last year on and around Remembrance Day at the above noted church, a second slide show will be shown at night to feature WWll art works, including some of Mary's artistry. It will be about 25 minutes long and possibly repeated 4 times each night.
This work was been produced by Christ Church Cathedral and the good folks at the famed Canadian Scottish Regiment with the support no doubt of other groups and individuals. It promises to be well worth the visit if you are in the Victoria area on the nights of November 9th to 11th.
And while in the area, right across the road is the memorial to the Canadians killed in Afghanistan. It is lit at night and should be visited while you are there.
Don't forget your masks!
This work was been produced by Christ Church Cathedral and the good folks at the famed Canadian Scottish Regiment with the support no doubt of other groups and individuals. It promises to be well worth the visit if you are in the Victoria area on the nights of November 9th to 11th.
And while in the area, right across the road is the memorial to the Canadians killed in Afghanistan. It is lit at night and should be visited while you are there.
Don't forget your masks!
Here are a few other paintings from another war artist, but this one was not accredited. She also signed up with the CWAC and served in Ontario and then Europe during WWll.
Having studied a little art before the war young woman from the Huntsville area of Ontario put paint to the easel and got so good at it, and the depiction of war scenes before even leaving Canada, that she was convinced to enter some of the work in a nation wide contest. At least one, if not more of the paintings actually became part of the display that traveled across the country.
Then she went off to war and served in clerical functions with the C.W.A.C. and assignments in England, Belgium and France. Upon return to Canada she settled in the Toronto area with her new husband, also a vet and officer to boot. She would soon be the mother of five, one of them being yours truly. (Her work in the field of advocacy has been the subject of many a blog in this space.)
Her above four paintings are now held also by the National Art Gallery at Ottawa. A dozen more adorn my living-room walls, and yet more are tucked away due to lack of wall space.
On Tuesday I will bring you a special edition of the blog with a VERY timely story that I also trust you will find quite interesting.
Please join me then,
Bart
Having studied a little art before the war young woman from the Huntsville area of Ontario put paint to the easel and got so good at it, and the depiction of war scenes before even leaving Canada, that she was convinced to enter some of the work in a nation wide contest. At least one, if not more of the paintings actually became part of the display that traveled across the country.
Then she went off to war and served in clerical functions with the C.W.A.C. and assignments in England, Belgium and France. Upon return to Canada she settled in the Toronto area with her new husband, also a vet and officer to boot. She would soon be the mother of five, one of them being yours truly. (Her work in the field of advocacy has been the subject of many a blog in this space.)
Her above four paintings are now held also by the National Art Gallery at Ottawa. A dozen more adorn my living-room walls, and yet more are tucked away due to lack of wall space.
On Tuesday I will bring you a special edition of the blog with a VERY timely story that I also trust you will find quite interesting.
Please join me then,
Bart
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