As one of Canada's most prolific and diverse artists, Arthur Donald Price has had the opportunity to live, work and travel in almost all regions of Canada. Born in Edmonton in 1918, Price spent most of his young adulthood in Alberta. After attending the Ontario College of Art (OCA) in Toronto, Price did a stint with the Merchant Navy. Upon his return to dry land, he began to work as a set designer for the National Film Board (NFB).

By 1947 Price had a job with the National Museum of Canada, which enabled him to travel to the east and west coasts. He produced drawings, took notes and made photographs of native art. Many of these drawings were later transformed into bronze sculptures. Eventually, Price returned to Ottawa where he worked once again for the NFB and did graphic design on a free-lance basis as well as sculpture. It was through him that Eleanor Milne was introduced to Bill Bond's foundry where she and Price experimented with sand casting in the early 1960s.

Art Price's artistic production was diverse. He painted, drew, produced films and created both metal and wood carvings. He also worked as a book illustrator, completing many books on French Canadian and native legends. Price has had numerous exhibitions of his sculpture at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and was elected ARCA (Associate Academician of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art).

Reference: Martin, C. V. A Cross-Section of Work by Art Price. Ottawa: Art Price, 1968.

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