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DENNIS, Eva
- Born
- Gravenhurst, Ontario, 1904
- Died
- Central Butte, Saskatchewan, 1995
- Biography synopsis
- Folk artist Eva Dennis was self-taught and began painting in the 1950s while working as a teacher in a country school. In 1926-27 she obtained her teaching credentials from the Teacher's College in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and she only began experimenting with paint later, working with the discarded tubes of paint her artist husband threw out. Her paintings represented scenes from her childhood and teaching years which, in addition to their artistic value, served as "documents" of past times that had disappeared. Beginning in 1957, her work was included in the Moose Jaw Fine Arts Guild's Annual Exhibitions, and in 1960 her work was accepted for the Saskatchewan Arts Board Annual Show. Dennis exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout Saskatchewan. Her works are held in numerous folk art collections as well as major galleries in Saskatchewan.
- Media used
- Painting
- File & Archive locations
- Art Gallery of Ontario - Edward P. Taylor Research Library and Archives
- Artexte Information Centre, QC - Documentation Centre
- National Gallery of Canada, ON - Library and Archives
- Edmonton Art Gallery, AB - Library
- Vancouver Art Gallery, BC - Library
- University of Regina, SK - Archives and Special Collections
- Canadian Women Artists History Initiative Documentation Centre, QC
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings about- The Biographical Dictionary of Moose Jaw Artists. Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery, 2005
- "Making a Home Out of Existence: Nine Prairie Folk Artists." Artscanada 36.230-31 (Oct-Nov. 1979): 1-14
- Anderson, Jack. "Exhibition is Visual Literature." Leader Post 24 Mar. 2004: A6
- Climer, John. Saskatchewan Primitives. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Mendel Art Gallery, 1975.
- Kritzwiser, Kay. "Down-Home Talent Shows Up in Folk Art." Globe and Mail (Toronto) 15 Dec. 1979: E5
- McKendry, Blake. Folk Art: Primitive and Naïve Art in Canada. Toronto and New York: Methuen & Facts on File, 1983
- Rees, Ronald. Land of Earth and Sky: Landscape Painting of Western Canada. Western Producer Prairie Books, 1984
- Ring, Dan. Wesley and Eva Dennis: A Shared History. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Mendel Art Gallery, 1994.
- Thauberger, David. Grassroots Saskatchewan. Regina, SK: Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, 1976
