Henry George Glyde
(1906 - 1998) ASA, CSGA

Henry Glyde Biography
(1906 - 1998) ASA, CSGA

Born in Luton, England, he studied at the Brassey Institute of Arts and Sciences o]at Hastings (1920-26); Royal College of Art (1926-30) and was a student demonstrator there from 1929-1930. He studied in Italy, France, Belgium and London (1958-9) and devoted mush of his time to drawing and 15th century composition. As a student he won the Royal College of Art Scholarship (1929) and the Lewis Berger Scholarship for architectural decoration from the Royal Scottish Academy (1928).

He was an art instructor at Croydon School of Arts and Crafts (1929-31) and at the same time taught art at the Borough Polytechnic (1929-35) and at the High Wycombe School of Art (1931-25). He came to Canada in September of 1935 to take up his position of Head of Art Department at the Institute of Technology and Art, Calgary (1935-46) until his appointment as Head, Department of Fine Arts, University of Alberta, a post he held until his retirement in 1966.

Glyde and A.Y. Jackson were commissioned in October of 1943 by the National Gallery of Canada to make studies of the Alaska Highway and three of Glydes's sketches appeared in “Canadian Art” (February- March 1944, p. 41). Jackson and Glyde returned the following year on the same assignment but the arrangements for them were not provided and they painted in instead at Rosebud, Alberta. Glyde had been appointed Head of Pianting Division at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1937 where hundreds of pupils received his guidance. But all this time he kept active as a painter and graphic artist. His scratchboard drawing entitled “ The Coach” (1942) was reproduced in Paul Duval's “Canadian Drawings and Prints” (1952).

After a distinguished career in teaching, Glyde retired from the University of Alberta in 1966. A reception was given by his students in appreciation of his valued contribution to their development. He also received the university's national award for his service to art and education in Alberta. A farewell show of his work was held at the University's Fine Arts Gallery when Dorothy Barnhouse of the “Edmonton Journal” made some notes on his work as follows, “...Draftsmanship is the work that most of us will always associate with H.G. Glyde; to be more specific, a very personal rhythmic line. The works now on display point up to that rhythm...whether the tools be pen and ink, pencil, brush or charcoal. All of these are employed in his figure studies. Some are form-blocked with a broad edge of conte. In others the form is built up with cross hatching in pencil or charcoal, in tone wash or in a more stylized ink line...”

When Clement Greenberg made his controversial review of art on the prairies, he noted an oil by Glyde as being “shot through with 'Canadian' feeling” and possessing a thorough professionalism although Greenberg mentioned that his particular oil might have been done with more accent and modulation. Myrtle Swaffield viewing an earlier showing noted “A beautiful and restful exhibition of watercolours by H.G. Glyde is now being shown at the public library (Prince Albert, Sask.)...” remarking on a street scene, she continued, “...He is a master draughtsman. Even in his pictures of old English graveyards in which he has used some of his more vivid colours one gets a feeling of peace.”

Glyde has been an active member of: the Canadian Society of Graphic Arts, The Alberta Society of Artist's, and The Canadian Arts Council. He is represented in a number of public collections including the National Gallery of Canada, The Edmonton Art Gallery and other esteemed collections.

Source: "A Dictionary of Canadian Artists, Volume I: A-F", compiled by Colin S. MacDonald, Canadian Paperbacks Publishing Ltd, Ottawa, 1977