Sylvia Tait facts for kids

Sylvia Tait, born on March 20, 1932, is a talented Canadian artist. She is known for her amazing abstract paintings and her skills as a printmaker. This means she creates art that doesn't show real-life objects exactly as they are, but instead uses shapes, colors, and lines to express feelings or ideas. She also makes art by printing images, often using special techniques.

Sylvia Tait's Artistic Journey

Sylvia Tait started her art education at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts School of Art and Design. She studied there from 1949 to 1953. During her time there, she learned from many famous artists. These included Arthur Lismer, Jacques de Tonnancour, and Marian Scott.

In 1953, Sylvia had her very first art show in Montreal. She showed off her oil paintings, which were a mix of abstract and realistic styles.

Life and Art in Different Places

In 1954, Sylvia Tait married Eldon Grier, who was also an artist and a poet. Eldon had strong connections in Mexico. Because of this, Sylvia and Eldon spent a lot of time in San Miguel de Allende in the late 1950s.

While in Mexico, Sylvia's art was shown in several group exhibitions. She also had two solo shows at the Instituto Allende in 1959 and 1960.

In 1968, the couple moved to British Columbia, Canada. Sylvia set up her art studio in West Vancouver. She continued to have many solo exhibitions throughout the 1970s and won several awards for her work.

Art Beyond the Canvas

In the 1980s, Sylvia Tait used her artistic talents in new ways. She designed sets and costumes for different performances. These included:

• Amahl and the Night Visitors, an opera, in 1980.
• The Stand, a dance performance by Anna Wyman Dance, in 1987.
• Thisness, a special one-person play by Istvan Anhalt, in 1986.

Sylvia also won art competitions in 2004 and 2005. These wins allowed her to create art for public spaces, meaning her work could be seen and enjoyed by everyone.

Where to Find Her Art

You can find Sylvia Tait's artwork in many public art collections. Some of these include the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal. She was also a member of important art groups. These were the Canadian Society of Graphic Art (starting in 1963) and the Malaspina Printmakers in Vancouver (starting in 1978).

Exhibitions and Artistic Inspirations

Sylvia Tait has shown her art in many places since the 1950s. Her exhibitions have been held in Canada, Mexico, and Ecuador. Since 1977, the Bau-Xi Gallery in Vancouver, BC, has represented her work.

One of her notable public art pieces is Aquascapes. It was put in place at the West Vancouver Pool in 2004. This artwork was fully restored in 2013, so it continues to look great for visitors.

Notable Exhibitions

Sylvia Tait has had many important art shows:

• From 1974 to 1976, "The Graphic Art of Sylvia Tait: Part I, Drawings" traveled to many cities in British Columbia and the Atlantic Provinces.
• In 1974, "The Graphic Art of Sylvia Tait: Part II, Serigraphs" was held in Vancouver.
• In 1981, her show "Canvas, Wood and Paper" was at the Burnaby Art Gallery.
• In 2011, the West Vancouver Museum held a special show. It was a mini-retrospective of her art, celebrating her long career.
• In 2014, Sylvia Tait's art was part of "The And of the Land" exhibition at the West Vancouver Museum. She showed her work alongside other famous B.C. artists like Lawren Harris and Jack Shadbolt.
• In 2017, the Burnaby Art Gallery featured her work in an exhibition called "Sylvia Tait: Journey."

Artistic Influences

Two major things have inspired Sylvia Tait's art. One is the Abstract Expressionism art movement. This style of art focuses on expressing emotions through abstract forms. The other big influence is classical music.

Even though Sylvia's early paintings showed things that looked real, her later and current works are completely abstract. She uses many layers of bright, strong colors in her paintings on canvas and paper. People have said that her paintings are like "visual image-like poetry," using colors instead of words to tell a story.

Selected Awards

Sylvia Tait has received many awards for her artistic achievements:

• 1964: Prize at the 2nd Winnipeg Biennale in Winnipeg, MB.
• 1965: Second Prize for "Flowering Tangent" from the Canadian Group of Painters in Montreal, QC.
• 1975: Award of Excellence from the Malaspina Printmakers Society in Vancouver, BC.
• 1976: Third Prize at the Hadassah Nordau Exhibition in Vancouver, BC.
• 1978: Honourable Mention for "Savoy Cabbages" from the Malaspina Printmakers Society in Vancouver, BC.