Saturday, December 14, 2019

Woman Of The Crowd

Leaving the exhibit in yesterday's post, I headed down another level to the next area, photographing a view of the gallery's lobby area from here.


Part of this level was given over to a temporary exhibit. Molly Lamb Bobak: A Woman Of The Crowd looks at the artist, commissioned as a war artist for the Second World War. Works here date from that period and beyond. 


She was part of the Canadian Women's Army Corps during the war, which led to her posting as a war artist. That informs her subjects as an artist during this period. Ruins Of Emmerich, Germany is a 1945 painting that depicts the ruined landscape of a German community in the aftermath of war. Bobak was given a driver and freedom to travel where she wished through this period, depicting scenes that a male war artist might have overlooked.


German Children In Bremen, Germany is another of her works from this period.


Her CWAC experience would come back time and time again. This portrait is Private Roy, Canadian Women's Army Corps, painted in 1946. It depicts Eva May Roy, one of her colleagues and friends in the CWAC. Bobak said of her, "she was a warm, wonderful person full of compassion and understanding of life. Whenever I think about her I remember an engaging laugh and the best hugs."


Canteen, Nijmegen, Netherlands, is a 1945 painting depicting a break in the military routine.


CWACs On Leave In Amsterdam, September is a 1945 painting by Bobak depicting her colleagues taking time off in the Dutch city, coming back to life after years of occupation.


Here we have a photograph of the artist at work.


W110278: The Personal War Records Of Private Lamb, M is the title of this 1944 watercolour, showing the opening night of the Canadian Army Art Exhibition. 


This quote on the wall interested me. Bobak was known throughout her career for paintings of flowers and crowds.


Williams Lake, B.C. is a 1958 oil painting depicting the town.


November 11th is a 1971 painting by Bobak showing a Remembrance Day procession.


And I finish with this one. Bobak painted this in 1973. Lester B. Pearson's Funeral shows the departure of the late prime minister from Parliament Hill.

42 comments:

  1. Great paintings. Interesting art gallery.

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  2. The quote is quite great and true.
    Great paintings, too. It must´ve been hard to capture some of those scenes.

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  3. I think I prefer her looser, sketchier paintings over the more detailed works.

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  4. I had never heard of Bobak, but I like her paintings.

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  5. A new name to me and her art looks very appealing.

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  6. ...wonderful images from a period when women didn't play an important role in daily life.

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  7. My favourite is the Remembrance Day procession. What an interesting perspective!

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  8. @Nancy: definitely.

    @Ella: indeed.

    @Iris: it would.

    @John: that I can see.

    @Jan: I do too.

    @David: I agree.

    @Tom: that is true.

    @Francisco: thanks.

    @Marie: very much so.

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  9. What a talented artist! I like the interesting painting of Eva Roy. I think I'd like her. :-)

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  10. The paintings are very special, I like her work a lot.

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  11. I had never heard of her. Thanks for showing these and spreading the word about her, William.

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  12. What a talented woman Bobak was. Her paintings are wonderful.

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  13. Some great paintings shown in this post.

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  14. Thanks for the introduction to Molly Lamb Bobak - I like her work.

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  15. Wonderful post about Molly Lamb Bobek ~ and do like her art style ~

    Happy Moments to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  16. @DJan: it's quite a portrait.

    @Jennifer: they certainly are.

    @Marleen: so do I.

    @RedPat: you're welcome.

    @Sharon: definitely.

    @Red: I thought so.

    @Rosemary: you're welcome.

    @Alexandria: quite so.

    @Carol: I do as well.

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  17. I especially like the ones of Pvt. Roy, and Williams Lake, and November 11th.

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  18. Wonderful paintings by some talented artist.

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  19. very cool art, i like street water scene. i wanna jump right on in and take a look. ( ;

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  20. Thank you for the intro to an artist I didn't know about. Her painting style will be nice to study.

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  21. Interesting. The portrait of Private Roy caught my eye.

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  22. Super paintings, I really like them:)

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  23. As usual, I am attracted to the paintings. I don't know why, but sculptures don't move me in the way that they do other people. Not that there were any here -- just sayin.

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  24. These paintings are all extremely to my liking -- partly subject matter and partly because I just love the style and technique.

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  25. I enjoyed seeing these paintings …

    All the best Jan

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