Esther Wertheimer facts for kids

Esther Wertheimer (born Estera Sheps) (1926 – August 18, 2016) was a Canadian sculptor and teacher. She was famous for her bronze sculptures. These sculptures often showed people in a semi-abstract way. She also made portrait busts using terra cotta, which is a type of clay.

For many years, during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Wertheimer spent half of each year in Pietrasanta, Italy. This town was a special place for artists and had a foundry where sculptures are made.

Becoming a Sculptor

Esther Wertheimer was born in Łódź, Poland. She moved to Canada with her parents when she was a baby. She grew up in Montreal. From a young age, she loved art.

Early Life and Art Studies

When she was eight, Esther started studying dance and later ballet. She also began painting as a child. As a teenager, she took art lessons from several teachers. These included Alexander Bercovitch, Herman Heimlich, and Fritz Brandtner.

During the Great Depression, she worked to help her family. Later, her high school art teacher, Anne Savage, encouraged her. Esther then studied art at the School of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts from 1958 to 1963.

Teaching and Leadership

In 1960, Esther became a founding member and director of the Saint Laurent Art Society. This was in Ville Saint-Laurent, a part of Montreal. She taught art from her studio and at the YMCA. She also helped organize art shows for local artists at Saint Laurent City Hall. In 1964, she continued her sculpture studies at the John Byers School in Montreal.

Moving to Europe

In 1967, Wertheimer moved to Europe. She received a travel grant from the Canada Council. She also got a special scholarship from the Italian government. In 1966, she attended a summer art program in Salzburg, Austria.

From 1967 to 1968, she focused on sculpture at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts in Italy. Her time in Italy changed her career. She stopped painting and focused only on sculpture. She became very skilled at working with bonded bronze.

Return to Montreal and Later Career

Esther returned to Montreal in 1969. In 1970, she became a professor at Loyola College in Montreal. She worked there until 1974. She earned her BA degree from Loyola in 1973. She then got her MA degree from Goddard College, Vermont, in 1975.

In 1976, Wertheimer created sculptures of sports figures for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. One of her sculptures was bought by the Canadian government. In 1977, her work was shown in Paris, France. This exhibition featured Canadian sculptors who worked in Pietrasanta, Italy.

International Recognition

In the 1980s, Wertheimer started showing her polished bronze sculptures in Florida, USA. In 1989, she traveled to Japan to find new exhibitions and projects. By 1997, she had won nine public sculpture competitions there.

From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, Wertheimer created many public art pieces. These can be found in Canada, the USA, and China. In 1991, a special show of her work was held at the Wallack Gallery in Ottawa.

One of her most famous works is Primavera (Democracy). This four-meter bronze sculpture was made in 1992. It stands in front of Fukuoka City Hall Plaza in Fukuoka, Japan.

Esther Wertheimer was a director and founding member of the Saint Laurent Art Association/Society from 1960 to 1965. She also joined the Sculptors Society of Canada in 1985. She passed away in Montreal on August 18, 2016.

Famous Sculptures

• Primavera (Democracy) (1992) - You can see this in front of Fukuoka Town Hall Plaza in Japan.
• Caftan - This sculpture is at the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Hakone, Japan.
• Seven Dancers - Located at Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Niceville, Florida, USA.
• Airborn - You can find this at the Civic Center Library in Livermore, California, USA.

Awards and Honors

• Canada Council Travel Grant (1967) - This helped her travel for her art.
• Borsa di Studio from the Italian Government (1967-1968) - A scholarship to study in Italy.
• Elizabeth T. Greenshields Memorial Grant (1969)
• Gold Medal, INT Tourismo, Rome, Italy (1977)
• EUR Europa Primio, Rome, Italy (1977)
• 3rd Prize (for Caftan), Rodin Third National Sculpture Competition, Hakone, Open-Air Museum, Hakone, Japan (1989)
• International Arts Award, B'nai B'rith Foundation, Washington, DC, USA (1997)

Images for kids

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  "Children at Play with Hoops" by Esther Wertheimer in Kyotango, Japan