JACK WELDON HUMPHREY. CGP. CSPWC. [1901-1967].

 

Born in St. John, New Brunswick, his interest in art began at an early age (his aunt studied in New York under Robert Henri). He studied at Mt. Allison University (but left because of illness). He also studied violin and from 1950 to 1957 played in the local symphony orchestra. His first formal art studies were at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, under Philip Hale [1920-23]. He then studied at the National Academy of Design in New York under Charles Hawthorne [1924-29]. In the Summer he continued to study with Hawthorne in Provincetown Massachusetts and became a class monitor and studio assistant. In 1929 Humphrey went to Europe where he visited Paris and studied drawing at the Grande Chaumière. He then traveled to Munich and studied at the Hans Hofmann, school for two and a half months (he also visited Italy, Germany (to see the expressionists), Holland, & Belgium). He finally returned to St. John during the depression but despite the difficulties continued to paint. Many of his works depict the city, the harbour and countryside. During the 1930s Humphrey did a fine series of character studies of children. In 1933 he traveled to Vancouver and in 1938 to Mexico. In 1938 Humphrey became a member of the Eastern Group of Painters (members included: Alexander Bercovitch, Goodrich Roberts, Eric Goldberg, Jori Smith, etc.) and out of this group came the Contemporary Art Society. In 1952 he was only one of two artists who received an overseas fellowship (spent thirteen months in Paris, and two on the Brittany coast). Upon his return to Canada he withdrew from figurative painting altogether and carried his work to the very limit of abstraction. His painting "Compartments" was reproduced in “Painting in Canada, a History” by Harper [plate 296, p. 327]. Humphrey participated in many exhibitions including the Philadelphia Water Color Society & New York Water Color Club [1929]; Tate Gallery, London [1938]; Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Painting [1955, 1957, 1959, 1963], etc. He was a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour [1939]; Canadian Group of Painters; International Association of Plastic Arts [1955]; and Canadian Society of Graphic Arts. In 1967 a retrospective exhibition of his work was organized by the Beaverbrook Gallery with a catalogue written by J. Russell Harper (show traveled to National Gallery of Canada, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Mendel Art Gallery, University of Sherbrooke (PQ), Confederation Art Gallery (PEI), and New Brunswick Museum). His work is in numerous, private and public collections including: National Gallery of Canada; Art Gallery of Ontario; Hart House, U. of Toronto; New Brunswick Museum; London Art Gallery (Ont); Beaverbrook Art Gallery; Mount Allison University; Edmonton Art Gallery; Dalhousie University; Memorial University, Newfoundland; Atlantic House, London, England; Saint John Art Club; University of New Brunswick; Sir George Williams University; Royal Victoria College (McGill University); Seagram Collection; Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Confederation Art Gallery, Charlottetown (PEI). A fine mainly regional artist, who did complex work in many mediums including oil, charcoal, chalk, pastel, pencil, watercolour, gouache, and ink. Jack Humphrey passed away in 1967.

Bibliography: MacDonald. Dictionary of Canadian Artists [vol. 2, pp. 485-487].

Exhibited: Confederation Art Gallery & Museum, Charlottetown, Prince Edwards Island, label on verso.

Provenance: Galerie Dresdnere, Toronto, label on verso; Imperial Oil of Canada Art Collection, bearing inventory cataloguing labels & stamps on verso.

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