William Kurelek
(1927 - 1977) RCA
Current Sale
WILLIAM KURELEK
Ice Sailing
colour lithograph
inscribed “W. Kurelek”, initialed by the wife of the artist (J.K.), and numbered 97/225 in the lower margin
15 x 11.5 ins ( 38.1 x 29.2 cms ) ( sight )
Estimated: $600.00 - $800.00
Current bid: $475.00Next bid is: $500.00
Closes in 1 hour and 24 minutes
June 26th at 02:30:00 PM EDT
WILLIAM KURELEK
Calf Weaner, Dough Trough and Knife
ink and graphite drawing
signed with monogram and dated 1971 lower right, inscribed “#21” lower left
13 x 21 ins ( 33 x 53.3 cms ) ( sight )
Estimated: $1,200.00 - $1,500.00
Current bid: $800.00Next bid is: $850.00
Closes in 1 hour and 54 minutes
June 26th at 03:00:00 PM EDT
Consignments
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W. Kurelek Biography
(1927 - 1977) RCA
Kurelek was the son of Ukrainian immigrant farmers. He grew up during the Great Depression on a grain farm in Alberta and then a dairy farm in Manitoba. His hard-working father thought that his son was lazy and was not pleased when he decided to pursue his studies in art. His father's rejection was to haunt him all of his life. Kurelek briefly studied art at school but preferred to teach himself through books. While traveling in England he was hospitalized for over a year and enrolled in the hospital's art therapy program. It was there that he drew many self-portraits and scenes of farm life from his youth. He also developed his unique style of outlining the drawing with a ballpoint pen, using coloured pencils for texture and adding details in pen. Careful examination of his drawings reveals images full of realism with minute details of things like cots, clothes and even insects. Under the pen of William Kurelek, prairie farm scenes and landscapes came to life. By the time of his death in 1977 Kurelek had produced over 2000 paintings. Many of Kurelek's painting were produced to accompany books for children. For these he won several awards including the New York Times' Best Illustrated Children's Book Award for A Prairie Boy's Winter and Lumberjack, and the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians Illustrators Award for A Prairie Boy's Summer.
