Biography
Roly Fenwick was born in 1932 in Owen Sound, ON. After studying art under Alex Colville at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB, Fenwick moved to Toronto where he was the Art Director for Simpson’s/Sears. In 1968 Tony Urquhart was seeking professors for the University of Western Ontario’s visual arts department and hired Fenwick to be a painting & drawing professor. Fenwick remained at UWO until he retired in 1989, teaching countless students along with Paterson Ewen and Duncan de Kergommeaux. Since retiring, Fenwick has maintained a steady studio practice in London, ON and at his cottage in Big Bay, ON.
Fenwick received his first retrospective in 1978 at the London Regional Art Gallery, which focused on his realist, surrealist work that he was making at that time. Again in 2001, Museum London organized a retrospective of his landscapes, which travelled to the Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery in Owen Sound, ON
Roly Fenwick is well known for his lush oil paintings that are inspired by the landscape of the Bruce Peninsula, which Fenwick refers to as his “ancestral bloodroots”. Fenwick explains that his “interest is not in scenery but in probing to reveal the forces beneath the veneer”. His paintings thoroughly reflect this interest in revealing the sources of nature and inner spirit of the Canadian landscape.
His paintings are in the permanent public collections of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Tom Thomson Art Gallery, McIntosh Art Gallery and Museum London.
He spends his summers at his cottage at Big Bay on the Bruce Peninsula and spends the rest of the year at his home in London, ON.
Seeking Artworks by Roly Fenwick
Selected Works
Roly Fenwick
Reflection, 2017
Roly Fenwick
Random Garden 2, 2015
Roly Fenwick
Contiguous Habitat, 2018
Roly Fenwick
Ghost Trees, 2018
Roly Fenwick
Stackpole, 2015
Roly Fenwick
Through The Ages, 2017
Roly Fenwick
Riverbones, 2009
Roly Fenwick
Strange Passage, 1990
Roly Fenwick
Tapestry, 2020
Roly Fenwick
Harbour Grace, 2016
Roly Fenwick
Yoke, 2009
Roly Fenwick
Valley Lake from a Forgotten Field, 1985
Roly Fenwick
Ocean Port, 2015
Exhibitions
November 26 - December 23 - 2022
Paper ’22 @ MGG
PAPER '22 @ MGG is a lively exhibition exploring the possibilities of works on paper.
More
May 19 - June 12 - 2021
Roly Fenwick “Images From The Home Well”
For the past 10 years, Roly Fenwick has devoted himself to painting portraits of his family, friends and portraits of himself. Figurative painting has always been part of his practice, though is rarely exhibited. Our[...]
MoreCurriculum Vitae
Prof. Emeritus, U.W.O., Visual Arts
1932 Born in Owen Sound, Ontario
1950-53 Studied at Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick
1956-66 Art Director, Catalogue, Simpson Sears, Toronto, Ontario
1978 Elected to Royal Canadian Academy
1968-89 Teaching position at The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
COLLECTIONS
Abitibi-Price Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Canada Council Art Bank, Ottawa, Ontario
Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
Davies, Ward and Beck, Toronto, Ontario
Dimcor Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Granite Club, Toronto, Ontario
Jones Packaging, London, Ontario
Judith Norman and Alix Art Gallery, Sarnia, Ontario
Lerners LLP, London, Ontario
London Free Press, London, Ontario
London Municipal Collection, London, Ontario
Maclean Hunter, Toronto, Ontario
McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
Museum London, London, Ontario
Nabisco Brands, Toronto, Ontario
National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Services, Toronto
Owens Museum, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick
Pierce, Van Loon, Vancouver, British Columbia
Royal Bank, Toronto & London, Ontario
Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, Toronto
Suncor Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Tom Thomson Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario
Toronto Dominion Bank, Toronto, Ontario
Trojan Technologies, London, Ontario
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 Portraits, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2018 Vernacular Revisited, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2018 Pow Wow Emanations, Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre
2015 The Cumulative Effect, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2013 Visual Negotiations, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2011 Fossilscapes, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2010 Reflections from Indian Summer, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2008 Polar Rhythms & Clarion Call, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2006 Landscript, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2005 Groundwork, St. Thomas-Elgin Art Centre, St. Thomas, Ontario
2004 Inner Icon: Landscape and Memory, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2003 Monument Suite, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
2002 In Addition, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
A New and Greener Light, Museum London, London, Ontario
2001 From Big Bay, Tom Thomson Memorial Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario
1999 Microburst, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
1998 Oil and Water Works, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
Watermarks, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Scanning the Contemporary Landscape, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia, Ontario
Art Mart 1998 with Tony Urquhart, London Regional Art Gallery, London
1997 Watermarks, Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
1995 Eco-Pulse, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Selections, Thielsen Galleries, London, Ontario
1992 First Arctic Air, Thielsen Galleries, London, Ontario
The Primary Environment, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1991 The Authentic Impulse, Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, British Columbia
1990 Recent Paintings, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Roly Fenwick – The Authentic Impulse, Gairloch Gallery, Oakville, Ontario and Tom Thomson Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario
1989 Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (Upper Gallery)
1988 Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1986 Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1984 Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1978 Roly Fenwick in London, London Regional Art Gallery, London, Ontario (Retrospective Exhibition)
1976 Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
1972 Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
1970 Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
1967 Walter Klinkhoff Gallery, Montreal, Quebec
1966 Sobot Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Guelph University, Guelph, Ontario
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 Chroma III, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2020 Chroma II, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2019 A Few Of My Favourite Things, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2019 Canadian Watercolours, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2017 Small Gems, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
2009 The Road Show: Roly Fenwick & Clark McDougall, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario (two person)
2003 Small and Mighty, Michael Gibson Gallery, London, Ontario
1998 Group Show, James Baird Gallery, St. Johns, Newfoundland
1996 From Far and Wide, Landscapes, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1996 Destinations, Bau-Xi Gallery, Vancouver, B.C.
1994 Love for the Land, Homer Watson Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario
1989 Personal Visions, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1987 Landscape, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Royal Canadian Academy Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario
Experiencing Drawing, McIntosh Gallery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1986 Portfolio ’86, Tom Thomson Gallery, Owen Sound, Ontario
1984 Toronto Artists, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1983 Take Two, Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, Hart House, University of Toronto, Toronto
Landscapes, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
1982 Visual Position, Thielsen Galleries, London, Ontario
Take Two, McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1981 London Area Artists, McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario
1980 Faculty Exhibition, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1978 Image of Man, McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London
1977 Faculty Exhibition, McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London
London Artists, McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London
1976 Extension Services Exhibition, London Regional Art Gallery, London
1975 Extension Services Exhibition, London Regional Art Gallery, London, Ontario
1974 Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
Slide’s Eye View, London Regional Art Gallery, London, Ontario
1973 Prints, Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
1972 Nancy Poole Studio, London, Ontario
1970 McIntosh Gallery, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1969 Talbot College, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
20/20 Gallery, London, Ontario
Davis Gallery, London, Ontario
1968 Talbot College, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1966 University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Women’s Committee Invitational Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario
1965 Royal Canadian Academy, Toronto, Ontario
Here and Now Gallery, Toronto, Ontario
Montreal Spring Exhibition, Montreal Museum of Fine rts, Montreal, Quebec
Hamilton Winter Exhibition, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario
1964 Biennial of Canadian Art, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
1962 Montreal Spring Exhibition, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Quebec
1960 Hamilton Winter Exhibition, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario
Winnipeg Annual Exhibition, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Hart House, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
1952 Ontario Society of Artists
PUBLICATIONS
Virginia Lambe, “Look Twice at Magic Realism”, The Gazette, Montreal, Oct. 21, 1967, 48.
Lenore Crawford, “UWO Fine Art Course Offers a Unique ‘Balance’”, The London Free Press, Dec 26, 1970, 3.
Lenore Crawford, “Fenwick Featured in Art Show”, The London Free Press, Nov 1972.
Lenore Crawford, “Looking at Art; Integrated with Daily Life”, The London Free Press, 1974.
Lenore Crawford, “Punchy Individuality of Artists Featured in Three-Man Show”, The London Free Press, June 1976.
Lenore Crawford, “London Survey; 20/20 Gallery”, The London Free Press, May 1978.
Peter White, “Man’s Image is Spread Thin at AGO; Image of Man”, The Globe and Mail, Sept 1978.
William S. Hart, International Consciousness; 1918-1978: The Image of Man in Canadian Painting, The University of Western Ontario, 1978, 28.
Fleur Tipton, Roly Fenwick in London, London Regional Art Gallery, May 1978.
Janice Andreae, “Roly Fenwick in London”, Artmagazine, May 1978.
Judy Malone, “Works Probe Life’s Interdependency”, ‘About Art’, The London Free Press, May 6, 1978.
Jon Whyte, “London Comes to Banff”, Crag & Canyon, Banff, Oct 18, 1978.
Suzanne Tansig, “Strong Pieces Carry Artists London Display”, The London Free Press, June 1979.
I.G. Roy, “Artist in Profile; Roly Fenwick In Transition”, This is London Magazine”, May 1981, 14.
Richard Newman, “Art Exhibit Calls for A Double Take”, The London Free Press, May 17, 1982.
Doug Bale, “A Visual Position, Landscape Painters Exhibit in Separate Rooms”, The London Free Press, Nov 19, 1982.
Janice Andreae, “Roly Fenwick & Duncan de Kergommeaux at the Lindsay Art Gallery”, Artmagazine, Spring, 1983.
Christopher Hume, “Art; Fenwicks Fabulous Forests”, The Toronto Star, March 23, 1984.
Fern Helfand and Greg Ludlow, Works of Art and Scholarship, Department of Visual Arts, The University of Western Ontario, Feb.,Mar, 1985, 20.
John B. Boyle, Portfolio ’86, Earth Air Fire and Water, Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, 1986.
Jim Algie, “Show Focuses on Vibrant Local Art”, Owen Sound Sun-Times, 1986.
Ian Trowell, “Art; Visual Arts Exhibit ‘88”, The London Free Press, Feb 1988.
Jim Algie, “Exhibit Touches On Contemporary Life; Notes From Eden, Gender and Landscape”, Owen Sound Sun-Times, March 1990.
Jim Algie, “In Search of Visual Explanation”, Owen Sound Sun-Times, June 1990.
Jim Algie, “Conscious Artists Respond to The Land”, Owen Sound Sun-Times, June 1990.
“Exhibition Features Fenwick Paintings; Galleries in Oakville, Owen Sound”, Western News, March 1990, 9.
Robert Reid, “A Love for the Land; Homer Watson Exhibit Showcases Eleven Artists”, The Record, Kitchener, Nov 1994.
David Lewis, Scanning the Contemporary Landscape; Atkinson, Fenwick, Stubbs, exhibition catalogue, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia, Ontario, 1998.
Hugh Mackenzie, “Roly Fenwick: An Appreciation”, Scanning the Contemporary Landscape; Atkinson, Fenwick, Stubbs, Exhibition Catalogue, Gallery Lambton, Sarnia, Ontario, 1998.
Sandra Coulson, “Painter Has Lovers Quarrel With Nature”, The London Free Press, April 1999.
Ted Fraser, Roly Fenwick: A New and Greener Light, Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery and London Regional Art and Historical Museum, exhibition catalogue, 2001.
Tess Parkins, “Fenwick Speaks”, Scene Magazine, cover story, January 24, 2002, p 18.
Noel Gallagher, “Artist Captures Spirit”, London Free Press, February 16 2002, D7.
Rob Nay, “Roly Fenwick”, Scene Magazine, December 9, 2004.
Woodman, Ross, “Roly Fenwick Landscript”, Exhibition Catalogue, Michael Gibson Gallery, 2006
Lennon, Madeline, “Roly Fenwick Polar Rhythms”, Exhibition Catalogue, Michael Gibson Gallery, 2008
Klunder, Harold, “Roly Fenwick Visual Negotiations”, Exhibition Catalogue, Michael Gibson Gallery, 2013
BOOK COVERS
Byrnes, Terence. Wintering Over. Dunvegan: Quadrant Editors, 1980.
Geddes, Gary. War and Other Stories. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 1976.
Stow, Glenys. Saving Your Life. “A Guide to Writing your Life Story”. Owen Sound: The Ginger Press, 2001
The Hedgehole Review. “Critical Reflections on Contemporary Culture”. Charlottesville, Vs: University of Virginia, Fall 1999.
News
Press
Publications
Roly Fenwick Visual Negotiations
Michael Gibson Gallery
June 2013
24 pages, colour illustrations, 8 x 8 inches
$15.00
"Visual Negotiations" features new landscape paintings inspired by the lush landscapes of the Bruce Peninsula and the vast shorelines of Newfoundland. The catalogue includes a conversation between Harold Klunder & Roly Fenwick.
Roly Fenwick Polar Rhythms
Michael Gibson Gallery
May 2008
36 pages, colour illustrations, 8 x 9 inch softcover
$15.00
Polar Rhythms is based on four small caribou bone figures that Roly purchased from an Inuit artist while on an Arctic trip in 1992. For Fenwick, the figures represent “the spiritual evidence of the remote silent presence of a land reduced to essentials, and the simplicity, intimacy and directness of the people.”
Videos
Roly Fenwick Mini-Documentary
Our 7 minute Mini-Documentary accompanies Roly Fenwick's May 2016 exhibition "The Cumulative Effect". In the film Fenwick speaks about his affinity to the landscape, his recent travels to Scotland and life as a painter. Professors Joel Faflak and Madeline Lennon also comment on the power of Fenwick's painting.
