Jack Rigaux 1951-

Jack is a recent friend and teacher. Jack was born in Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada, in 1951. He studied at the Banff School of Fine Arts in 1967, and then earned a diploma in Painting and Drawing from the Alberta College of Art in 1974. Since then he has been working as a practicing Artist and teacher in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is President of the Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists.

For many years Jack nurtured the desires and talents of dozens of aspiring artists and enthusiastic amateurs at his East Slope Studio, located in a de-consecrated church in the Erlton neighbourhood of Calgary. I spent many wonderful Wednesday evenings of creative camaraderie with other "students" painting and learning from this gifted artist and teacher. It did not matter what medium or style one is grappling with, Jack has the uncanny ability to draw the best from you.

The facility in Erlton is no longer in operation, soon to be re-developed as most inner Calgary city lots are, but the spirit of the East Slope Studio lives on in hundreds of people like myself who continue to paint-and count Jack Rigaux among those who have influenced them greatly.

Jack is my artistic conscience-that voice in my ear and those blue eyes peering over my shoulder-as I eagerly devote more time to exploring and developing my own style. Jack forced me out of my comfort zone. He moved me beyond the somewhat anal-retentive landscapes and rocks-though, as a geologist, they remain the subject matter of most of my work-into a looser style, with larger brushes, bolder colours, and bigger images.

(His two-minute sketch of me at work in his studio-using a 2-inch brush and a torn scrap of watercolour paper-is one of my prized possessions).

Awards:

• Hugh Jordan Award for Painting
• Landscaping Painting Award, Alberta College of Art
• Alberta Culture Award for Painting, five consecutive years

Exhibitions:(selected)

• Three Man Exhibition - Masters Gallery, Calgary
• Selected Works - Manuge Gallery, Halifax
• Two One-Man Shows - Hett Gallery, Edmonton
• Oil Landscapes - Peter Whyte Gallery, Banff
• Group Show with Illingworth Kerr, Stan Perrott, Ken Christopher, Rick Grandmaison and Stan Phelps - Cambrian Rose, Ottawa
• One Man Show of Watercolors - Cambrian Rose, Ottawa
• Canadian Watercolor Association's Annual Exhibition - Toronto
• Landscape Show - Triangle Gallery, Calgary

Geo.Eynon 2007
Compiled from notes from Jack's website