Elaine Kowalsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elaine Gloria Kowalsky
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| Born | November 15, 1948 |
| Died | September 17, 2005 (aged 56) |
| Education | University of Manitoba, St. Martin's School of Art |
| Known for | Printmaker |
| Spouse(s) |
Elton Bash
(m. 1978) |
Elaine Kowalsky (born September 24, 1948 – died September 17, 2005) was a talented Canadian printmaker. She was also a strong supporter of artists' rights. Elaine lived and worked in the United Kingdom for more than 30 years.
Her amazing prints and other artworks are now in public collections worldwide. You can find her art at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her work is also at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.
Contents
Discovering Elaine Kowalsky's Early Life and Art Education
Elaine Gloria Kowalsky was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 1948. Her parents were Cliff and Rosemary Kowalsky. She grew up in a place called Charleswood with her three brothers.
Starting Her Artistic Journey
Elaine went to the School of Art at the University of Manitoba. There, she focused on Printmaking, which is a way of making art by transferring images from a surface to paper. She graduated in 1971.
After graduating, Elaine moved to London, England. She wanted to continue her art studies and grow her career as a printmaker. In 1973, she attended St. Martin's School of Art in London. She took a special postgraduate course in printmaking there.
Elaine Kowalsky's Printmaking Career
Elaine kept creating and showing her artwork. She also earned a Master's degree in Visual Theory from the University of East London. At the time of her death, she was studying for another degree. This was a Master of Philosophy in Drawing at the Royal College of Art.
Helping Artists and Studios
In 1977, Elaine helped create North Star Studios in Brighton. This was a place where artists could work together. She helped them get a grant to build the studios.
In 1982, she was an artist in residence at Lowick House Workshop in Cumbria. This means she was invited to live and work there for a period. In 1987, she received the first Henry Moore Fellowship in Printmaking. This was at the Leeds Polytechnic. A fellowship is like a special scholarship for artists.
Exhibitions Featuring Her Work
Elaine's art was shown in many exhibitions in Canada and the UK. Some of these included:
- Canadian Student Printmakers, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax (1970)
- Islington Studios Group Show, Upper Street Gallery, London, England (1972)
- Canada House Gallery, London, England (1974)
- Specialist Printmaking Group, Gardener Centre Gallery, University of Sussex, Brighton, England (1975)
- Burnaby Print Biennale, Burnaby Art Gallery, Burnaby
Elaine Kowalsky's Legacy and Later Work
The Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) honored Elaine. They named their gallery in Clerkenwell, London the Kowalsky Gallery. This gallery hosts exhibitions and talks. It helps people explore the role of artists today.
Championing Artists' Rights: Copyright Activism
Throughout her career, Elaine worked hard to get full copyright protection for artists. Copyright is a legal right that protects original works of authorship. It means others cannot use an artist's work without permission.
Founding Artlaw and DACS
Elaine noticed that artists did not have enough protection for their work. So, she teamed up with other artists to create an organization called Artlaw. This group wanted to give artists copyright for their images. They also wanted artists to receive royalty payments when their art was resold. A royalty payment is a fee paid to an artist for the use of their work.
Artlaw later grew into the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS). Elaine was the chair of DACS for many years. She fought for new laws to give artists the same copyright protection as other creative workers.
Elaine Kowalsky's Personal Life and Passing
Elaine Kowalsky married Elton Bash in 1978. She sadly died in a car accident in September 2005. This happened just before the copyright law she worked so hard for came into effect in January 2006. Her efforts helped many artists.
