Dusan Kadlec, CSMA, 1942-2018
Dusan Kadlec was born in Czechoslovakia in 1942. He pursued his interest in art from a very early age, ultimately studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague where he received a Masters Degree in 1967. His studies there covered twenty-two subjects, including bookbinding, papermaking, drawing, painting, portraiture, as well as the more conventional subjects of history, political economics, languages, and math. His undergraduate and graduate training focused on traditional painting techniques but also explored aspects of sculpture, jewellery design, art restoration, and architecture.
While a student at the academy, he specialized in figurative painting and portraiture. This European academic training is apparent in his painting style. The composition of his canvases reflects the tradition of the great European masters, and embodies the Romantic Classicism that is a nineteenth century academic trademark.
Upon graduation, Dusan's artistic ability was recognized immediately and he began to exhibit and receive both private and state commissions. After completing his masters, Dusan was fortunate to be able to make a living as an artist in his homeland. Most of his early works were commercial art projects but he also contributed to a number of exhibitions, and was invited to participate in the design of Man and His World, the Czech pavillion at the 1968 World Expo in Montreal. The pavillion turned out to be one of the most popular exhibits at the fair.
Soon after the success of the Worlds Fair pavillion, political unrest began to affect life in Czechoslovakia. When the Soviet Union invaded in 1968, Dusan fled his homeland and immigrated to Canada, settling in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He immediately began to look for work as an artist, and within two weeks secured his first commission - a portrait. Word quickly spread about this new artist and soon he was busy painting commissions full time. He found the historic charm of his newly adopted port city inspirational and began at that time what would subsequently become the focus of his lifes work - recreating maritime history on canvas. From very early on his paintings attracted attention. Critical acclaim and a number of highly successful one man and two man shows with such luminaries as Jack L. Gray helped propel Dusan's career and firmly establish him as a leading maritme artist.
Since then he has continued painting in his unique old world style, gradually expanding his subject matter to include images from around the globe. His reputation as an accomplished painter continues to rise, making him one of the most respected and sought after marine and historical artists working today.
Dusan Kadlec was elected to the Canadian Society of Marine Artists in 2005, and entered several of his works (oil, lithography and giclée) in the 22nd Annual Exhibition.
The following paintings, as well as the one above, were exhibited at various of our Annual Exhibitions.
