George Wilkinson, C.S.M.A.
George was born in England and his family emigrated to Canada when he was just a toddler. Montreal was where they settled and where he acquired his formal education. As far back as he can recall he has always been interested in sailing ships, sailing and drawing.
With respect to sailing it started at the age of ten during his summer holidays at the lake where he frequently borrowed a family friend's row boat. By using a felled tree, a bed sheet and some discarded rope George successfully converted that punt into a sleek sailing vessel. Since then he has owned and built several sea going yachts and has been fortunate over the years to have sailed frequently with his wife throughout the Caribbean.
In looking back at his high school year book which dates back to the 1960's his career aspiration was to be that of a draftsman. As fate would have it he spent about 40 years in an engineering career with the first 15 years or so working at a drafting board.
He has difficulty describing in words a mind's picture of a Ship of the Line or vintage China Clipper sailing gracefully or aggressively on a calm or turbulent sea. There are of course amazing authors who are masters of their craft. Yet once he has read such pros, George has no difficulty envisioning such described scenes in perspective and detail. His passion for things nautical in concert with his imagination and technical background have instilled within him a state of condition and desire to scribe and paint.
George's introduction into the business of art and the world of galleries started approximately twenty five years ago. Soon after a visit to numerous scrimshaw museums in Hawaii he was inspired to study technique and ventured into the craft. With the recognition and support of several galleries in western Canada he soon developed an international reputation as a Canadian scrimshaw artist. After several years of scrimshaws he was inspired to take up the brush and easel. It was an easy transition, just a different way of representing his favourite theme.....anything nautical. His paintings have been greeted with similar accolades.
George's preferred medium is watercolour. His work has been exhibited at the Snowbird Gallery (Edmonton), Parnham and Rowles (Edmonton), the Jasper Park Lodge Art Gallery, the Klondike Gallery (Whitehorse), Mongoose Junction (USVI) and in conjunction with the Lavity Stout College (BVI.) He was elected a member of Canadian Society of Marine Artists in July 2015.
New: slide show of George Wilkinson's work currently in the galleries at The Victory.
More: slide show of George Wilkinson's work currently in the galleries at The Victory.
Below are some of his works that have previously been exhibited at The Victory, and some of which are now in private collections. More of Mr Wilkinson's work can be found here...
