RAYMOND A. ARNATT

Artist Biography

Born
Nuneham Courtenay, Oxon, England, 1934

Died
Cochrane, Alberta, Canada, 2004

Education

Intermediate Certificate in Art, The Oxford School of Technology, Art and Commerce National Diploma in Design (Sculpture), Oxford School of Art

Royal Scholar, Royal College of Art (First Class Honour Degree, Silver Medal for Sculpture, Awarded Associate of the Royal College of Art (A.R.C.A.))

Set up two studios and a metal casting foundry in Berkshire to facilitate control of large bronze work and research the process of direct metal casting, 1962

Initiated an “Art in Industry” experimental project at a large factory, Slough, England, 1973

Academic History

Acting Head, Department of Art, University of Calgary, 1992-1993 Professor in Sculpture, University of Calgary, 1981-

Visiting Artist, Alberta College of Art, 1987 Visiting Artist, Red Deer College, 1987 Visiting Artist, Lethbridge University, 1986

Visiting Artist, Okanagan College, 1985 Visiting Artist, Grande Prairie College, 1985

Visiting Lecturer, University of British Columbia, 1979

Sculptor’s Exchange, Emily Carr College of Art, Vancouver, 1979-1980 Visiting Lecturer, Ten Art Schools throughout England

External Assessor, National Council of Academic Awards

Senior Lecturer, Chelsea School of Art, London, 1965-1981 (instrumental in initiating a program of Fine Art Options) Juries

Chairman, Hungarian Memorial Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta, 1992

Judge, Sculpture Competition for the Engineering Complex, University of Calgary, 1986

Judge, National Sculpture Artist in Residence Competition, Kelowna, British Columbia, 1985-1986

Awards

2002
Brookfield Bankers Hall National Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (entered jointly with JoAnne Schachtel, shortlisted)

2000
Stantec Architects’ Macleod-Anderson Overpass Mural Competition, Calgary, Alberta (entered jointly with JoAnne Schachtel, winner)

1996
Calgary Fire Department and Police Service Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (winner)

1996
Standard Life Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (shortlisted)

1993
Bowman Portrait Exhibition, Open Competition, Bowman Gallery, Lethbridge, Alberta (accepted and exhibited with Figure in “Prairie Landscape II” and “Section”)

1993
The Calgary Downtown BRZ Bench Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (honorable mention with the sculpture “Everybody’s Secret”)

1992
The Edmonton City Hall Competition, Edmonton, Alberta (entered jointly with JoAnne Schachtel with the relief sculpture “Verdant Streams”, shortlisted)

1989
Mount Royal College Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (entered in collaboration with JoAnne Schachtel with the earthwork and sculpture installations of “Entrance” and “Centre”, shortlisted)

1987
Research Grant, Thermal Gesso Research, University of Calgary

1987
“Centre Piece”, commissioned by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong

1987
Olympic Oval Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (shortlisted)

1985
The Centre for the Performing Arts Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (winner with “Duet”)

1983
Athabasca University Sculpture Competition (shortlisted)

1983
Catalogue of “Proposition of Potential” made possible by financial support awarded by Alberta Culture in celebration of their Anniversary to the Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta

The Herbert Baker Travelling Award, The Royal Academy of Art, London, England 1962 The Sainsbury Award

1962
Silver Medal for Sculpture, The Royal College of Art Travelling Scholarship, The Royal College of Art Royal Scholar, The Royal College of Art

Other Experience

1996
Participated in the Muttart’s ‘Art Appreciation’ by hosting a studio visit which included talking about the work and demonstrating the various casting techniques used, Calgary, Alberta

1993
Participated in a portfolio of prints “13/93” with the original print, “Brand”, 18 in x 12 in, produced by the Department of Art, donated to local collections, Calgary, Alberta

Work Exhibited (post-mortem)

2004-2005
The Presence of Absence, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (20 ft x 12 ft installation; mixed media)

2005
The Unswept Floor, Triangle Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (20 ft x 12 ft installation, mixed media, curated by Caterina Pizanias)

2004
The Unswept Floor, Cultural Olympics, Cultural Foundation, Tinos, Greece (20 ft x 12 ft installation, mixed media, curated by Caterina Pizanias)

Work Exhibited (Canada)

2003-2004
The Unswept Floor: At Home and Abroad, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (80 ft x 12 ft installation, mixed media)

2003
A Binary Perspective, Virginia Christopher Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (solo exhibition)

2003
Perfecting the View, Triangle Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (retrospective solo exhibition curated by Caterina Pizanias)

2003
Green, Virginia Christopher Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (mixed group exhibition, five mixed media reliefs)

2002-2003
Retrospective 4 x 4 (a quantum state), Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (78 ft x 10 ft installation, mixed media)

2001-2002
Dig (unfolded version), Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (78 ft x 13 ft x 10 ft installation, plaster prints)

2001-2002
How to Build a Binary House, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (18 plaster relief panels, 24 ft x 24 ft each)

1999-2000
Dig, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (20 ft x 20 ft x 10 ft installation, plaster prints, 80 ft linear component, 10 ft x 10 ft pool of 4000 shards and 12 ft x 2 ft panel with multiple images)

1999
Things to Take to School, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 35 ft x 8 ft, mixed media)

1998
Perfection of the View, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 32 ft x 12 ft, mixed media)

1996
Christmas Salon Exhibition, Deacon Ulrich Fine Arts, Calgary, Alberta (mixed exhibition, six works exhibited)

1996
Detritus, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 28 ft x 8 ft, mixed media)

1996
Busker, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 20 ft x 6 ft x 6 ft, mixed media)

1996
Redefining Watercolour Exhibition, Deacon Ulrich Fine Arts, Calgary, Alberta 1996           Summer Salon Exhibition, Deacon Ulrich Fine Arts, Calgary, Alberta

1996
Suncor Collects Exhibition, Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (group exhibition, “Figure in a Landscape”, small relief work of mixed media)

1996
Recent Work, Deacon Ulrich Fine Arts, Calgary, Alberta (solo exhibition that consisted of three series (Detritus, Wallgame, Binary) and other work, materials: bronze, cold cast bronze and plaster)

1996
In Our Image Exhibition, Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (“Detritus”, installation of 200 components, 40 ft x 8 ft mixed media, three-person exhibition)

1995
Small Works Exhibition, Deacon Ulrich Fine Arts, Calgary, Alberta (“Four Works”, 12 in x 12 in, mixed media)

1995
THE walk YELLOW don’t CHRIST walk, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 20 ft x 20 ft x 12 ft, mixed media)

1995
Fin De Siecle, Faculty exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (30 ft x 30 ft, mixed media)

1994
Figures in a Prairie Landscape, ‘Artists Circle’ Exhibition, Triangle Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (group exhibition, 6 ft x 16 ft)

1994
Figure Field, ‘Artist as Collector’ Exhibition, Triangle Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (group exhibition, 6 ft x 6 ft)

1994
Impressions, Shadows and Echoes, The Prairie Collective, Reeve Theatre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (research project invited by the Canadian Society for Aesthetics, The Learned Society, 250 ft x 250 ft x 150 ft)

1994
Recent Work, Main Gallery, The Prairie Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta (Arnatt / Schachtel joint exhibition, 24 ft x 24 ft)

1994
Retrospective (In Parentheses), Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (49 ft x 5 ft, mixed media)

1993
Falling Figure and Falling Figure II, Post Miniature Exhibition and Silent Auction, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (10 in x 5 in cold cast bronze)

1993
Figure in Prairie Landscape II and Section, Bowman Portrait Exhibition open competition, Lethbridge, Alberta (24 in x 24 in, cold cast bronze)

1993
Falling Man and Fragment, Muttart Art Gallery Exhibition and Auction, Calgary, Alberta (12 in x 5 in, cold cast bronze)

1993
Lovers, invited by the ASA, Centre for the Performing Arts, Calgary, Alberta (72 in x 72 in, cold cast bronze)

1993
Figure Fragments, Muttart Art Auction/Exhibition, Calgary, Alberta (8 in x 10 in, cold cast resin)

1993
Falling Figure and Figure Fragment, HIRS Art Auction/Exhibition, Nova, Calgary, Alberta (8 in x 10 in, cold cast bronze.)

1993
Portrait, Pin, Detritus, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (29 ft x 6 ft, resin, fibreglass)

1993
Everybody’s Secret, on exhibition as part of the Calgary Downtown BRZ Bench Sculpture Competition (maquette)

1993
Verdant Streams, on exhibition in the Edmonton Public Library (maquette) 1992 And even the flowers …, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (40 ft x 10 ft, hydrocal, fibreglass and resin)

1991
Dynamic Interaction, developed for the Edmonton City Hall Competition (model) 1991  Polaris (North Star), Verdant Streams, Northern Alignment, developed in collaboration with JoAnne Schachtel for the Edmonton City Hall Competition (models)

1991
Seamless Fragments, Virginia Christopher Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (selection of plaster relief sculpture)

1991
Seamless Fragments, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation. 34 ft x 17 ft x 6 ft, wood and plaster)

1991
Silent Vigil, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (12 ft x 10 ft x 3 ft, mixed media)

1991
Prairie Geometry, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (20 ft x 30 ft x 8 ft, aluminum)

1990
Centre, Grande Prairie Sculpture Competition (series of models)

1989
Prairie Geometry (invited to 1989 Summer Exhibition, installed in front of the Inn Courts, Edmonton, organized by the Edmonton Art Gallery, 40 ft x 80 ft x 8 ft aluminum and fibreglass)

1988
Studio Music, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation 10 ft x 8 ft x 5 ft, wood and gesso)

1988
A.B.C. of Sculpture, Hybrids Exhibition, Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (installation)

1988
Prairie Dig, Little Gallery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (4 ft x 4 ft, mixed media relief)

1988
Artist Circle Exhibition and Sale, Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts, Calgary, Alberta 1988    Permanent Collection Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta

1987
Circus, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation, 60 ft x 40 ft x 7 ft, gesso on wood, steel)

1987
Corner, Hybrids Exhibition, Muttart Art Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (installation, 15 ft x 10 ft x 8 ft, wood and gesso)

1987
Winter Garland, Wall / Space Exhibition, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta (8 ft 3 in x 8 ft 3 in, mixed media)

1987
Prairie Geometry, Wall / Space Exhibition, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta (40 ft x 6 ft 3 in x 8 in, mixed media)

1986
Blue Shift, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (40 ft x 4 in x 16 in, wood and gesso)

1986
Illusion and Paradox, Winnipeg Perspective, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba (“Spin – Off”, 88 ft x 50 ft x 10 ft, wood and gesso, steel, bronze and aluminum)

1986
System – Ritual, Ring House Gallery, Edmonton, Alberta (“Holon”, installation 20 ft x 18 ft, gesso on wood and steel)

1986
Prairie, Reeve Theatre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (interdisciplinary installation, with the Prairie Collective)

1985
Binary Love Seat, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (7 ft x 6 ft x 2 ft, wood and gesso)

1985
Selected Sculpture, Grand Forks Gallery, British Columbia

1985
Permanent Collection Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta

1985
Co-opposites, Reeve Theatre, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (installation, with the Prairie Collective)

1985
Design in Alberta Exhibition, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

1984
Silent Lesson, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (installation, 30 ft x 30 ft x 6 ft, wood and gesso)

1984
Binary Shaft, Athabasca University Gallery (model for the Athabasca Sculpture Competition)

1984
Recent Acquisitions, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

1984
The Enigma, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (“Crossover”, installation 40 ft x 20 ft, wood and gesso)

1983
Symphonic Field, Faculty Exhibition, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (40 ft x 8 ft x 8 ft, wood and gesso)

1983
Proposition of Potential, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (one person exhibition, 60 wood and gesso works)

1983
Albertan Transfer, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta (one person exhibition, 40 ft x 40 ft x 6 ft, wood and gesso)

1983
Left Right, Left Right Forever, James Ulrich Gallery, Calgary, Alberta (one person exhibition, 40 wood and gesso works)

1983
Recent Acquisitions, The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta 1982     Small Works Exhibition, James Ulrich Gallery, Calgary, Alberta

1980
The 970 Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia (one person exhibition) 1980         The Hyatt ’80 Exhibition, Vancouver, British Columbia

1980
Diversity Exhibition, Robson Square, Vancouver, British Columbia

1979
The Helen Pitt Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia (one person exhibition)

Work Exhibited (England)

1981
Articulated Opposites, Great Linford Sculpture Park, Milton Keynes

1981
Five large bronzes on permanent exhibition at architect Derek Walker’s residence, Bucks.

1981
Sculpture for Douai Abbey, Berkshire 1981    Art in the Library, Basingstoke

1980
Imperial Studio Construct, Chelsea Gallery The Old Gaol Art Centre, Abingdon

The Bear Lane Gallery, Oxford The Building Centre, London

National Art Exhibition, Chichester Reading Museum and Art Gallery

Three Artists Exhibition, Mortimer, Berkshire The Pershore Festival

Park Square Gallery, Leeds (one person show)

Arts Council of Great Britain (travelling exhibition) The I.C.A. Gallery, London

The Piccadilly Gallery, London The A.I.A. Gallery, London

The Young Contemporaries Exhibition, London The Chelsea Gallery, London

The Guggenheim Gallery, Royal College of Art The Royal Academy, London

Art into Landscape, Serpentine Gallery, London

Selected Commissions

2000
Legato, Macleod-Anderson Overpass, Stantec Architects, Calgary, Alberta (300 ft x 20 ft sculpture, painted cast concrete)

1997
Vigil and Sentinel, Calgary Fire Department and Calgary Police Service Commemorative Sculpture, Calgary, Alberta (12 ft x 12 ft x 10 ft 6 in each sculpture, bronze and cast concrete)

1988
Centre Piece, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong (61 ft x 8 ft x 8 ft, aluminum, fibreglass and resin)

1986
Continuum, Pre-Cambrian Resources Corporation, Calgary, Alberta

1985
Duet, Centre for the Performing Arts, Calgary, Alberta (25 ft, mild steel with painted surface)

Articulated Opposites, Harrogate, England (13 ft x 3 ft, bronze)

Articulated Simple – Complex, Queen’s College, Edgbaston, England (10 ft x 4 ft, bronze)

Spheres: Inside – Outside, Weymouth Theatre, England (copper)

Simple-Complex, Horizontal-Vertical, Leeds, England (11 ft x 5 ft, aluminum)

Simple – Complex, Garforth, England (10 ft x 1 ft, bronze)

Simple – Complex, Minster Lovell, Oxon, England (3 ft x 1 ft, bronze)

Fragment, London County Council, England (8 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft, bronze)

Installation, Lincoln College, Oxford, England (4 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft, cement fondu and glass)

Central Paradox, Milton Keynes, England (12 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft, bronze)

Articulated Opposites, Memorial sculpture to Sir Joseph Swan, Newcastle, England (16 ft x 12 ft, bronze)

Competitions Entered

2002
Brookfield Bankers Hall National Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (entered jointly with JoAnne Schachtel, shortlisted)

2000
Stantec Architects’ Macleod-Anderson Overpass Mural Competition, Calgary, Alberta (invited, entered jointly with JoAnne Schachtel, winner)

1996
The Chinese Commemorative Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (shortlisted) 1996  The Calgary Police Service and Fire Department Sculpture Competition, Calgary,

Alberta (winner)

1996
Sunlife Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (shortlisted) 1995           Alberta Biennal (juried competition)

1995
City of Kitchener Sculpture Competition, Kitchener, Ontario (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel)

1995
901 West Hasting Sculpture Competition, Vancouver, British Columbia (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel)

1994
St. Albert Major Sculpture Competition (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel) 1993      Fossil Figure, Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Japan (10 in x 6 in x 8 in, hydrocal)

1993
Components on a Square, Ondaatje Court Sculpture Competition, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (entered with JoAnne Schachtel, 36 in x 36 in, mixed media)

1993
Kalamazoo International Sculpture Competition, Kalamazoo, U.S.A. (entered with JoAnne Schachtel)

1993
Ephemeral Fragments, The Arts 17 Society of Calgary Mural Competition, Calgary, Alberta (maquette, entered with JoAnne Schachtel)

1993
Components from Two Pieces, Art Rodeo Outdoor Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (entered with JoAnne Schachtel)

1993
Manitoba’s Children’s Museum Sculpture Competition, Winnipeg, Manitoba (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel)

1992
Verdant Streams, Edmonton City Hall Competition (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel, shortlisted)

1991
Echo, Northern Drum, Nucleus, Grande Prairie Sculpture Competition, Grande Prairie, Alberta

1991
Place, Arch, Gateway, Grande Prairie Sculpture Competition, Grande Prairie, Alberta (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel)

1991
Northern Alignment, Verdant Streams, Polaris, New Edmonton City Hall Sculpture Competition, Edmonton, Alberta (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel)

1991
Dynamic Interaction, New Edmonton City Hall Sculpture Competition, Edmonton, Alberta (80 ft x 10 ft, mixed media)

1989
Entrance, Centre, Mount Royal College Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (joint submission with JoAnne Schachtel, shortlisted)

1987
Olympic Marker, Olympic Oval Sculpture Competition, Calgary, Alberta (150 ft x 60 ft, mixed media)

Collections

The Prairie Art Gallery, Grande Prairie, Alberta The City of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta

The Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary, Alberta

Calgary Regional Arts Foundation, Calgary, Alberta Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta

Centre for the Performing Arts, Calgary, Alberta Pre-Cambrian Resources, Calgary, Alberta Lethbridge University, Lethbridge, Alberta

The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta

Alberta Arts Foundation

Calgary Contemporary Arts Society, Calgary, Alberta

Many private collections in England, the U.S.A. and Canada

Publications and Interviews

2000
Alberta Society of Artists, The First 70 Years, book, “THE walk YELLOW don’t CHRIST walk” pgs 112-113

1995
Architectural Monographs No 43, The View from Great Linford, Derek Walker & Associates, England

1994
Recent Work catalogue, joint exhibition with JoAnne Schachtel, The Prairie Gallery, Grande Prairie

1993
Interview given to Kay Burns, for her research for her thesis “Ars Artium”, University of Calgary

1993
Human Form, Human Function, a video made by Kay Burns from the interview for her thesis “Ars Artium”, University of Calgary

1993
The Double Vision, lecture presented to the Aperion Society, ASPP Symposium, Kananaskis, Alberta

1993
Gallery Talks Faculty Lecture Series. Introduction and Gallery Talk, “Portrait, Pin, Detritus”, sponsored by the Nickle Arts Museum and the Department of Art as part of the Faculty Exhibition

1992
A Second Look At Calgary’s Public Art, book compiled by Barbara Kwasny and Elaine Peake

1991
Creativity in Art and Life, introduced the topic for the half hour program for Channel 10, sponsored by the Apeiron Society

1991
Dialogue, participated on the panel in this half hour program for Channel 10, sponsored by the Apeiron Society

1988
Design Synectics, Stimulating Creativity in Design, Nicholas Roukes, Davis Publications 1986   Sculpture Today, panel member at the University of Alberta, Edmonton

1985
Duet, film for Western Canadian Lotteries

Interview for C.J.S.W., on “Duet”, University of Calgary campus radio station

Entertainment This Week, interview for C.B.C of “Crossover 1984”

1984
Arts Alive, Cable 10, Calgary

1979
Contemporary British Artists, entry into, published by Bergstrom and Boyle, London

1971
Volumes and Voids, B.B.C. television profile