Obituaries for Elaine Kowalsky
Extract from The Guardian Obituary
Vivacious printmaker and campaigner whose work echoed her personality.
Elaine Kowalsky, who has died in a car accident aged 56, was an artist of distinction whose work was exhibited internationally. An unapologetic and passionate Canadian, she was also firmly embedded in London's East End, where she lived and worked for more than 25 years.
Her greatest artistic achievement was in the medium of printmaking: her boldly experimental woodcuts, measuring 6ft x 4ft, arrested the eye with their vivid imagery, sumptuous colour and the sheer verve of her mark-making. She worked in a wide range of media: besides lithography, monoprinting, painting and drawing, she produced artists' books, ceramics, rugs and screens, and even a pop-up book, The Dog Detective of Barking (1994).
Extract from n.paradoxa's Obituary
She wrote the Diary for n.paradoxa anonymously. We discussed many times the reasons for doing this column and for keeping her identity secret: primarily to separate her own career from the Diary's playful and witty fantasies about the aspirations and difficulties of being a well-connected woman artist (of a certain age) struggling to gain recognition in London's sexist, ageist and highly competitive art world. A sample of the Diary was broadcast once on Canadian radio. We both had aspirations that it would be widely read and well-received and could gain a broader audience.
by The Editor of n.paradoxa - Katy Deepwell
Last installment of Diary of an Ageing Art Slut and tribute from Katy Deepwell
Obituaries
Curriculum Vitae for Elaine Gloria Kowalsky
The Kowalsky Gallery at DACS opened in autumn 2006 with an exhibition to celebrate the life and work of DACS founding artist Elaine Kowalsky (1948-2005). Today the exhibition programme includes contributions from emerging and established artists, international artists and site-specific works. A regular series of talks and performances engage the wider public in a debate about the role of artists in contemporary society and culture. The Kowalsky Gallery is located at DACS in Clerkenwell, London.
The Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006 that Elaine helped to introduce as a founding member of DACS was passed into UK law in 2006. EU Directive 2001/84/EC
EDUCATION |
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| 1992-94 | Masters in Visual Theory, University of East London (distinction for thesis) |
| 1974-75 | Post Graduate Diploma in Printmaking, Faculty of art & Design, Brighton Polytechnic |
| 1973-74 | Post Graduate Diploma in Printmaking, St Martin's School of Art |
| 1967-71 | Diploma of Art University of Manitoba, School of Art |
| 1998 | NCVQ unit U1023030-1 for planning and assessing GNVQS DTP Level 3 |
AWARDS |
|
| 2003 | Design and Copyright Society, Long service award |
| 2000 | Elephant Trust, Catalogue Publication Freud Museum |
| 1997 | Association of Museums of painting & Sculpture, Istanbul, Invited Artists |
| Henry Moore Fellowship in Printmaking, Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds | |
| 1989 | Glasgow Print workshop Publications |
| 1989 | Greater London Arts Association Exhibition Grant |
| 1985 | Greater London Arts/Northern arts, Artist Residence, Lowick House |
| 1979 | South East Arts Project Award |
| 1977 | Arts Council Of Great Britain Studio Conversion Grant for North Studios, Printmakers Co-operative, Brighton, South East Arts Exhibition Grant |
| 1973 | Canada Council B Grant Arts Award |
ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS & SELECTED |
|
| 2004 | North, Platform, 3 Wilkes Street, London |
| 2004 | The Reluctant Bride, An installation, 3 Fournier Street, London |
| 2000 | Freud Museum, Marian & Dorothy, London |
| 2000 | Leicester City Art Gallery, Printmaker of the Month |
| 2000 | APT Gallery, Place, Three Person Show, London |
| 1996 | Anna Bornholt Gallery, London |
| 1995 | Redfern Gallery, Four Contemporary Printmakers, London |
| 1994 | Open studios Print Workshop, Toronto |
| 1993 | Midlands Arts centre, Print Focus Birmingham |
| Taunton Technical College Gallery, Taunton, Retrospective 1983 - 1993 | |
| Merkmal Gallery, Domestic Alchemy, Liverpool | |
| 1990 | Oxford Gallery, Three generations of relief printmakers |
| 1990 | Canada House gallery, Rugs & Related Prints, London |
| 1989 | Redfern Gallery, Three Person Show, London |
| 1989 | Shu Yu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
| 1988-89 | Touring show, Hearts & Vessels, Cooper Art Gallery, Barnsley Art Gallery, Plymouth Arts Centre |
| 1988 | Leeds City Art Gallery, Hearts & Vessels |
| 1986 | Ikon Gallery, Larger Than Life, Birmingham |
| 1986 | Canada House Gallery, Larger Than Life, London |
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OTHER EXHIBITIONS |
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| 2004 | 20th exhibition Design and Copyright Society, Mall Gallery, London |
| 2003 | Art in Heaven, Brighton Fringe Festival, St.Joseph's Catholic Church |
| 2003-2005 | Kingston University Touring Show, Drawing -The Process, Loughborough |
| University, Birmingham Art Gallery, The Chapel Gallery, The Hot Bath Gallery, Clifford Fisher Gallery | |
| 2001 | Art, Age & Gender, Women's Foundation for art, Orleans House, Twickenham |
| 2001-2 | Weber State University Gallery, Contemporary British Prints, USA |
| 2000 | Leeds City Art Gallery, The Idea Of North, UK |
| 1999-2001 | Leicester City Art Gallery Touring Shows, Lasting Impressions & Souvenirs |
| 1997 | Association of Museums of Painting & Sculpture, Istanbul, Meeting in Art |
| 1996-97 | Portland Art Museum, Portland USA, International Print Exhibition |
| 1996 | Birmingham City Art Gallery, Print Survey Part 2, Birmingham UK |
| 1993 | Whitney's Art Gallery, London, National Open Print Competition |
| 1994 | Leeds City Art Gallery, Images of Women |
| 1994-95 | Johannesburg Art Gallery, My Grandmother, My Mother, Myself |
| 1995 | Southampton City Art Gallery, My Grandmother, My Mother, Myself, UK |
| 1994 | Royal Society of Etchers & Engravers, National Print Competition - Invited Guest |
| 1993-97 | Angela Flowers Gallery, Small is Beautiful exhibition, London, UK |
| 1993-94 | Ikon Gallery Touring Show, A - Z of Printmaking |
| 1993-96 | Arts Council of Great Britain Touring exhibition, Out of the Wood |
| 1992 | Xylon Museum, Werrkstatten, Switzerland, Micheal Rothenstein & a New Generation of Printmakers |
| 1989 | Wrexham Gallery, Wales, Wall to Wall Colour-Artist Rugs |
| 1988-89 | Rouge Press Touring Show |
| 1989 | Printmakers Council, From Drawing to Print, Swiss Cottage Library |
| 1986 | Worchester City Art Gallery, Contemporary Wood Cuts |
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COMMISSIONS |
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| 2001 | Rushmore Primary School, London, Ceramic Mural |
| 1998 | Hertford Village Hospital Mural, Short-listed |
| 1990 | Dover Castle, Kent Banners |
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PUBLIC COLLECTIONS |
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| Canada Council Art Bank, Canada | |
| Manitoba Government, Canada | |
| South East Arts Association, UK | |
| Washington State University, USA | |
| Tower Hamlets Lending Library, UK | |
| University of Manitoba, Canada | |
| Winnipeg Art Gallery, Canada | |
| Victoria & Albert Museum, UK | |
| Worchester City Art Gallery, UK | |
| Leicester Education Authority, UK | |
| Manchester City Art Gallery, UK | |
| Smithsonian institute, Washington, UK | |
| Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester UK | |
| Australian National Gallery, Sydney | |
| Association for the Museums of Painting & Sculpture, Istanbul | |
| Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds.UK | |
| Birmingham City Art Gallery, Birmingham UK | |
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WORKSHOPS & LECTURES |
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| 2002 | Master Class, Martha Street Print Studios, Winnipeg |
| 2000 | The Idea of North, Leeds City Art Gallery, storey telling workshop |
| 1997 | Meeting In Art, Istanbul |
| 1995 | Images of Women, Leeds City Art Gallery, panel discussion |
| 1993 | Printmaking -Its Secrets, Whitworth Art Gallery |
| 1987- 89 | Printmaking Workshop, Leeds City Art Gallery Education Dept. |
| 1989 | Manitoba Printmakers Print Workshop, lecture on monoprints |
| 1987 | Printmaking Workshop, Manitoba Printmakers |
| 1985 | Printmaking Workshop, Worchester City art gallery |
| 1981-83 | Artists in Schools Program, Whitechaple Art Gallery, London |
| 1981 | Contemporary British Printmakers, UAAL Conference, University of McGill |
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POSITIONS HELD |
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| 2000-2003 | Honorary President Designers & Artists Copyright Society |
| 1995-2000 | Chairperson, Council of Management, Designer & Artist's Copyright Society. |
| 1990-93 | The Princes Trust, Youth Business advisor |
| 1984-85 | Chairperson, Print Makers Council |
| 1982-83 | Honorary Secretary, Print Makers Council |
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CATALOGUES & PUBLICATIONS |
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| 1997-2004 | Diary of an Ageing Art Slut, n.paradoxa@ukonline ISSN: 1462-0426 |
| 2004 | North, exhibition pamphlet, Platform gallery |
| 2000 | Marian & Dorothy, exhibition catalogue, Freud Museum |
| 1995 | Meeting in Art, exhibition catalogue, Association for Museums of Painting & Sculpture, Istanbul |
| 1995 | North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century, a biographical dictionary ed. Jules Heller & Nancy G. Heller, Garland Publishing Inc. New York & London |
| 1995 | New Narratives: Katy Deepwell on Elaine Kowalsky Women's Art Magazine, no 63. March/April |
| 1994 | Elaine Kowalsky, Printmakers Today, vol.4, no.4 winter 1994.p.17 Tessa Sidy |
| 1994 | Wood Engraving & the Woodcut in Britain 1880 - 1990. James Hamilton. Barrie & Jenkins ltd. London |
| Nov. 1990 | Artist's Books, Cathy Courtney, Art Monthly |
| 1988 | Hearts & Vessels. Exhibition catalogue, Leeds City Art Gallery |
| 1988 | Work From Rouge Press. Exhibition catalougue. |
| 1986 | Larger Than Life, exhibition catalogue, Canada House Publication, London |
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE |
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| PRIMARY, SECONDARY, FURTHOR EDUCATION, DEGREE & POST GRADUATE | |
| 2003-04 | Contextual Studies, Southgate College of Further Education, Art & Design |
| 2002-03 | Art Supply Teaching Holy Family secondary Technical college Yrs 7-8 |
| 2001-03 | Artists in Schools Program, primary - secondary, Greater London Area |
| 2000-1991 | Visiting Tutor in Printmaking, University of Brighton |
| 2000-1991 | Tutor in A level Art Lewishan college of Further education |
| 1999-1993 | Communications in Art & Design, GNVQ Intermediate, Hatchemwood Secondary Modern, London |
| 1997-1993 | Extra Mural Moderator, Extra Mural studies, Birkbeck Collage, University of London |
| 1997-1995 | Visiting Tutor in Print & Drawing, University of East London |
| 2000-1990 | Tutor, BTEC Creative Development for Nursery nurse, Lewisham College of FE |
| 1999-1994 | Visiting tutor in MA Printmaking, Camberwell College of Art, London Institute |
| 1992-1990 | Visiting tutor in Printmaking, Foundation & BTEC, Harlow college of FE |
| 1991 | Visiting, lecturer, Slade school of Art, University of London, MA printmaking |
| 1990 | Visiting lecturer, Coventry Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design |
| Visiting Lecturer, Newcastle Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design, Print workshop | |
| 1989 | Visiting Lecturer, Manchester Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design, MA Printmaking |
| Visiting Lecturer, Dartington College of Fine Art, Printmaking Workshop | |
| Visiting Lecturer, Hull Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design, Print workshop | |
| 1988 | Visiting Lecturer Sheffield Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design |
| Visiting Lecturer Nottingham Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design | |
| Visiting Lecturer, Cork School of Art, Cork, Ireland | |
| Visiting Lecturer Hatfield Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design. Print workshop | |
| 1988-1986 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking, Falmouth School of Art |
| 1988-1984 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking, Leicester Polytechnic, Dept of Art & Design |
| 1988-1986 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking Foundation & BTEC, Harlow College of FE |
| 1983-1979 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking, Conservation Department, Camberwell Collage of Art |
| 1986 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking ,West Surrey Collage of Art |
| 1982 | Visiting Lecturer in Printmaking ,Canterbury College of Art, Print workshop |
| 1982-1978 | Lecturer, Silkscreen Workshop, Foundation & Adult Education, City Lit. Institute |
| 1978-1980 | Evening printmaking Classes for Workers' Educational Association, North Star Studios Print Workshop |
| Evening printmaking Classes for Workers' Educational Association, North Star Studios Print Workshop | |
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Elaine Gloria Kowalsky
24 September 1948 - 17 September 2005
Born Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
27 Aberavon Road
Bow, London, E3 5AR
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