Canadian Sculptors

Sculpting has long held tradition in Canada, going back to pre-European settlement era. Modern Canada has a number of world-famous sculptures. These include the Famous Five in Parliament Hill, the Big Toonie in Ontario, and the popular Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle sculpture in Quebec. The Canadian sculptors who engage in such exquisite work are also quite famous all over the world.

Famous Canadian Sculptors

Canada has a number of sculptors, including First Nation ones, who have made enormous contributions to the craft in and out of the country. Here is a list of some of them:

Louis Jobin

Jobin was one of the earliest known sculptors of post-settlement Canada. He showcased his work in the late 1800s. He's most notable as a pioneer of traditional wood sculpture, which he mastered. Art historians consider his death to be the death of traditional wood sculpture as well. When fellow artists were mastering bronze carving, Jobin carved on wood and ice. In 1880 while working in Québec City, Jobin carved neogothic statues at the church of St-Henri in Lévis. He also created floats for the parade of St. Jean Baptise. These works are preserved to this day and exhibit the artist's genius. During the Québec winter carnivals, Jobin was one of the original ice carvers. Late in his career, he took up religious wood sculpture, trying to carve bronze-style statues from the material. He died in 1928, but the wood carving tradition he promoted resonates to this day.

Florence Wyle

This American-born sculptor is one of the best known in Canada, and also the somewhat founder of the Sculptors' Society of Canada. Wyle got her initial training in sculpting in Chicago, where she met fellow sculptor and lifelong partner Frances Loring, with whom she moved to Canada. Though Wyle began her studies to become a medical doctor, she ended up perfecting the art of bronze sculpting. Her work was known for their realism and attention to detail. Most of her well-known sculptures are inspired by Classical Greek art. Later in her career, she experimented with abstract and heavily stylized sculptures of the human body. Today, she is known as one of Canada's finest academic sculptors.

Michel de Broin

Michel de Broin is possibly one of the best recognized Canadian sculptors working today. In Canada, he is famous for his many public artworks displayed in parks and similar public places throughout the country. His most famous work is perhaps the Salvador Allende monument displayed in Montreal. His work is highly modern, stylized, and somewhat abstract. De Broin is known for developing an interdisciplinary approach to sculpting, which pushes the limits of existing techniques for sculpting. His work reflects criticism of existing social systems, as well as some humour and playfulness. His sculptures encompass the themes of energy and resistance to it. As a modern sculptor, he has a multimedia approach to his work, often using audio, video, drawing, photography, and performance to enhance his works. He has said that conceptual art is his main inspiration.

E. B. Cox

Elford Bradley (E.B.) Cox is one of the most easily recognised Canadian artist names in the world. In Canada, he is considered the country's foremost stone sculptor. Many of his works are on public display in Canada, even a decade after his death. He is renowned for his ability to mix native sculpting techniques with European ones. As a result, he was called the "great bridge" between traditional and modern art in twentieth century Canada. His sculpted for more than 50 years. His many stone, metal, and glass monuments are now seen in Canada's schools, government buildings, churches, libraries, and hotels. In Toronto, guidebooks say that Cox sculpted more works in the city than any other artist. He also has the highest number of sculptures at Exhibition Place – more than any other artist. His most famous work there is the giant limestone bears and the "Youth and the Environment" sculpture. In modern Canada, Cox is perhaps the one artist best known to have inspired the next generation of sculptors.

Sculpting Museums

Here is a list of famous sculpting museums in Canada:

Canadian Sculpture Centre at Ontario Museums

This is a non-profit organization dedicated to appreciating and promoting contemporary sculpture techniques in Canada.

Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art

Located in Downtown Toronto, Canada's most popular museum has a number of exhibits dedicated to Canadian sculpture.

The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre

Located inside the AGO Art Gallery in Ontario, this centre is solely dedicated to preserving and educating the public about Canadian sculptures.

Canadian Sculptors' Associations

Various artists associations in Canada provide support to Canadian sculptures in terms of artists' education, inspiration, and sometime funding.

Here is a list of such organizations:

Sculptors Society of Canada

Headquartered in Toronto, this is the foremost sculptors' association in Canada that provides supports to artists and hosts exhibitions.

Sculptors' Association of Alberta

Provides support, educates, and promotes the works of sculptors located in the Alberta area. Sculpting has always found a place in Canada and thanks to innovative artists as well as national support, this is a tradition that will continue.

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