Artist Information
Artist
Allan Whitcomb Edwards (1915-1991)Role
PainterDate made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Allan Whitcomb Edwards was a Canadian artist, architectural illustrator, designer, educator and mentor born in Edmonton, Alberta. Edwards had his first training in art at the age of fourteen under the artist Archibald Fairbairn (1883-1979) in Victoria. He then became a pupil at the John Russell School of Fine Art in Toronto, Ontario and at the Art Institute, Chicago. At the age of 16 he received an award for the most outstanding portrait at the Canadian National Exhibition. He exhibited his work with the Michigan Artists, Detroit, and was an instructor at the Meinzinger Foundation in Detroit for two years. This led to fashion illustration work for Saks Fifth Avenue, Marshall Fields, J.L. Hudson's Department Store, Vogue magazine, and the Detroit News and Vancouver Sun newspapers.
In 1940 Edwards came back to Canada to serve in the Armed Forces and, later served in the U.S. Army until 1946. He worked with famed architect Burton C. Schutt in California and with Florence Bates Hayward, the celebrated interior designer. Hilton Hotels then asked him to work on their projects in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.
Edwards returned to Canada in 1961, establishing an art school, gallery, craft shop and design studio in Victoria, BC. teaching art to Pierre Berton, Sid Barron and Bill Reid among many. He then opened a design office in Vancouver and subsequently went to Ottawa to do the interiors of the Skyline Hotel. From there he went to Toronto to open a design business plus a textile mill which turned out hand-woven fabrics for his many projects. In 1972 he returned to the West Coast and opened a design studio in West Vancouver. He then went to London where he designed the interiors for the Skyline Hotel at Heathrow and the Park Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge.
Throughout his career, Edwards had continued to paint and exhibit throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. After arriving in B.C. he exhibited with the Island Arts and Crafts Society. He also taught at the Canadian Institute of Associated Arts in Vancouver, and also gave private instruction in art. He exhibited with the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1939 and 1942), and the Vancouver Art Gallery annual B.C. Artist exhibition in 1962. He also did society painting in Ottawa, Toronto, and Chicago. Edwards achieved recognition for his watercolours and won many awards. A past President of the Federation of Canadian Artists, his influence and mentorship inspired many artists.