An exhibition of work by Campbell Tinning created during a trip to Newfoundland in the summer of 1949. Newfoundland joined confederation earlier that year and Tinning, a young artist fresh from his success as an Official War Artist, was fascinated by Canada's newest province.
Campbell Tinning was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1910. He studied art at Regina College and at the Art Students' League in New York. In 1941, he joined the Reserves and obtained permission to paint at the RCAF Base in Trenton, Ontario. This attributed to his appointment as a War Artist in the Historical Section of the Canadian Army in June 1942. After serving as a War Artist, primarily in Italy during 1944/45, he returned to Canada and settled in Montreal. His work was included in numerous group and solo exhibitions and he died in Montreal in 1996.
Just prior to being sent overseas, his first Army assignment was to record the east coast defenses, primarily in Nova Scotia; although late in 1943, he was sent briefly to St. John's, Newfoundland. He was very impressed by this brief visit and wrote in his diary that he wanted to return and paint there in peacetime. In December 1943, Tinning sailed for England, and in April 1944, he was sent to Italy.
Tinning's fascination with Newfoundland was cause for a return trip on his own in 1949. He painted at Port aux Basque in July, and then at Port de Grave in all of August and September. Below is an excerpt from an article he wrote that was published in the Atlantic Guardian (Feb 1950, v. VII, No.2, p 44-46), which refers to this series of watercolours he worked on during the summer:
Newfoundland is a real place, where man and his works are, but where nature has not been spoilt - although there are cities and commerce. I hope in this regard however much the Island prospers she will somehow retain this quality. I believe she will, for Newfoundland is not a frontier to be exploited with boom towns and ugly buildings. Our new province has the advantage of 300 years of living behind her and of seeing the rest of North America go through a period of quick growth.
Thirteen large watercolours in this exhibition were produced during that summer of 1949. They were exhibited in Montreal in 1950 and have remained together as a group - passed on to his niece and nephew after his death in 1996. Also accompanying the exhibition is a self portrait painted in 1939, eleven additional watercolours, representative of Tinning's oeuvre - war art, landscape, a view of his Montreal studio, etc. together with his travel easel and paint box, sketch book from Newfoundland in 1949, and excerpts from his diary.
The full-colour publication, which will accompany the exhibition, will have a curatorial essay by Heather Smith, as well as an essay by Dr. Jeff Webb, a professor at Memorial University.
Courtesy of Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery.
Coffeehouse Evening Saturday March 13, 2010, at 7:30pm. Walk & Talk Tour with Exhibition Curator Heather Smith and members of the artist’s family, music, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar. Cover charge $5.00. Door opens 7:00pm. Everyone is welcome.