Art Gallery of Newfoundland and |
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Wally Brants
Although a talented painter specializing in landscapes, Wally Brants is not one of Newfoundland's more widely known artists. Born in Latvia in 1909, Brants studied art at Roman Suta Studios in the capital city of Riga and prior to World War II exhibited his artwork there. Before the end of the war he was transferred to Germany. From there he went to Australia where he lived until 1955, when Brants and his wife Anna moved to St. John's. While he continued to paint, he was employed as a set designer for CBC TV and for numerous local drama and musical productions. He was also involved in the Art Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Brants' early work in Newfoundland showed the influence of his European training. His later paintings and pastels are said to capture best the landscape of Newfoundland. Critics agree that he is a highly proficient artist. Brants has won several provincial government Arts and Letters Competition awards. There have been exhibitions of his work locally, including a 25-year retrospective in 1981 and a presentation of his paintings of Newfoundland churches at the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1996. He is represented in public and private collections, such as that of the government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the CBC, the Royal Trust and Central Trust. Now approaching his 90s, Brants has retired from painting actively. |