Gordon Smith: A Personal View

Gordon Smith and Ron Burnett at the new campus for Emily Carr University of Art and Design

I got to know Gordon within a few months of arriving in Vancouver to take on the position of President of what was then known as Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. I visited Gordon at his wonderful home designed by Arthur Erickson. Gordon immediately talked to me about the history of what used to be known as the Vancouver School of Art. He wanted me to understand the traditions that underlay the school, the foundations for which were set in the late 1920’s. He talked to me about the founders, the role of art on the west coast and most importantly the role and importance of landscape in the psyche of West Coast artists. Under his guidance, I learned about artists like E.J. Hughes and Frederick Varley as well as Jack Shadbolt whose studio I visited and from whom I gathered even more information about the history of art in BC. Gordon recounted how Shadbolt arrived in Vancouver in 1931 to teach at Kitsilano High School and immediately registered for courses at the Vancouver School of Art. There he encountered Varley and Charles H. Scott. The latter served as Principal of the school from 1926 until the mid 1950’s. The other names he always mentioned were Bert Binning and Jock Macdonald who were both heavily involved with the school and with debates about the future of art in Vancouver. Much of this history was personal and although there are some publications of note which provide commentary on the foundations of west coast art, most are out of print. This deep appreciation of history and Gordon’s desire to communicate about it was part of the passion that motivated his intense creativity. He never stopped painting and took me and my wife to his studio every time we visited. Generous, loving and most of all very hip to modern art and its many foibles, Gordon radiated warmth and concern for his fellow artists and friends. Marsha Lederman has written a wonderful obituary in The Globe and Mail. On a personal level, Gordon influenced my life in numerous ways, among the most important was a deep respect for creativity and the power of visual art. I shall miss everything about this great artist and human being.