Jacques Schyrgens
Encyclopedia
Jacques Schyrgens born in Elsene, Belgium 1923 is a Belgian-Canadian painter (watercolors) and illustrator.
His Father was Antoine Schyrgens (1890–1981), architect, draftsman, painter, teacher and a founder of he the Beaux Arts Academy in Ostend
. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts Ostend, and studied anatomy at Serge Mako's studio in Paris and in attended an Art College in Rome, Italy for three years. He traveled in Spain, the United States and Mexico before emigrating to Quebec in 1952.
By the end of the Second World War his family was living in the south of France where Schyrgens staged his first exhibit at age 16. The family was very much involved in the local arts community. Schyrgens recalls Henri Matisse
as a neighbor. As a youth Schyrgens was attracted to 'Commercial Art' and thought little of the established traditional artists. By the late 1940s Schyrgens was living in Spain where he believes he created his best works, inspired by Gypsy culture, music and dance. The young journeyman artist also traveled throughout Mexico.
By 1952 he was living and working in Old Quebec
City, where he became a Canadian citizen. He painted numerous street scenes as decoration for the stately Chateau Frontenac
as he was doing the same as his livelihood. Over a nine year period in Quebec City he produced hundreds of works, some of which were eventually sold through U.S. outlets. His work attracted moderate attention. He moved to Toronto
, Ontario, where Toronto street scenes became his subject matter and again he was providing art for hotels, in this case the Royal York Hotel
.
In 1972, Schyrgens moved once more, becoming Kenora, Ontario's first Artist in Residence from 1972 to 1973. Sponsored with a grant from the Arts Council of Ontario for studio space, he helped found The Kenora Artists Association which numbered about 60 members and hosted studios for local artists and students. His influence had a profound effect on the local artists and he provided steady support to the neophytes who still regard him with profound respect. He uses some of this time in Kenora establishing a silk screen studio and experimented with wood and linoleum block printing which he utilized as the illustrator for a book (H.D. Thoreau, Walden or Life in the Woods) published by Poole Hall Press in 1977.
1981 found him in Winnipeg
, where he established a studio and continued to produce colorful and dynamic street scenes.
Between August and September 2007, the Lake of the Woods Museum, Kenora, Ontario hosted "Kenora Paintings by Jacques Schyrgens", a 40 watercolor retrospective of his works produced there.
His product has produced reasonable prices at auction, and is in many private collections. Schyrgens was a member of the Artists Rights Society
, and was a long standing member of the not-for-profit organization Art Museum Image Consortium
an educational resource available to universities, colleges, public libraries, elementary and secondary schools, and museums.
Schyrgens has been shown in Brussels, Amsterdam, The Hage, Paris, London, Rome, Quebec City, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Kenora (Ont.). His works are on exhibition inis the collection of Laval University, Quebec, and in the Kunstmuseum aan Zee, Oostende, Belgium.
He influenced other artists, such as Michael Dobson.
His Father was Antoine Schyrgens (1890–1981), architect, draftsman, painter, teacher and a founder of he the Beaux Arts Academy in Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts Ostend, and studied anatomy at Serge Mako's studio in Paris and in attended an Art College in Rome, Italy for three years. He traveled in Spain, the United States and Mexico before emigrating to Quebec in 1952.
By the end of the Second World War his family was living in the south of France where Schyrgens staged his first exhibit at age 16. The family was very much involved in the local arts community. Schyrgens recalls Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
as a neighbor. As a youth Schyrgens was attracted to 'Commercial Art' and thought little of the established traditional artists. By the late 1940s Schyrgens was living in Spain where he believes he created his best works, inspired by Gypsy culture, music and dance. The young journeyman artist also traveled throughout Mexico.
By 1952 he was living and working in Old Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
City, where he became a Canadian citizen. He painted numerous street scenes as decoration for the stately Chateau Frontenac
Château Frontenac
The Château Frontenac, currently known as Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, is a grand hotel in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980...
as he was doing the same as his livelihood. Over a nine year period in Quebec City he produced hundreds of works, some of which were eventually sold through U.S. outlets. His work attracted moderate attention. He moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario, where Toronto street scenes became his subject matter and again he was providing art for hotels, in this case the Royal York Hotel
Fairmont Royal York
The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, formerly the Royal York Hotel and still often so called, is a large and historic hotel in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at 100 Front Street West. Opened on June 11, 1929, the Royal York was designed by Ross and Macdonald and built by the Canadian Pacific Railway...
.
In 1972, Schyrgens moved once more, becoming Kenora, Ontario's first Artist in Residence from 1972 to 1973. Sponsored with a grant from the Arts Council of Ontario for studio space, he helped found The Kenora Artists Association which numbered about 60 members and hosted studios for local artists and students. His influence had a profound effect on the local artists and he provided steady support to the neophytes who still regard him with profound respect. He uses some of this time in Kenora establishing a silk screen studio and experimented with wood and linoleum block printing which he utilized as the illustrator for a book (H.D. Thoreau, Walden or Life in the Woods) published by Poole Hall Press in 1977.
1981 found him in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, where he established a studio and continued to produce colorful and dynamic street scenes.
Between August and September 2007, the Lake of the Woods Museum, Kenora, Ontario hosted "Kenora Paintings by Jacques Schyrgens", a 40 watercolor retrospective of his works produced there.
His product has produced reasonable prices at auction, and is in many private collections. Schyrgens was a member of the Artists Rights Society
Artists Rights Society
Artists Rights Society is a copyright, licensing, and monitoring organization for visual artists in the United States. Founded in 1987, ARS represents the intellectual property rights interests of over 50,000 visual artists and estates of visual artists from around the world .- Member Artists &...
, and was a long standing member of the not-for-profit organization Art Museum Image Consortium
Art Museum Image Consortium
Art Museum Image Consortium was a non-profit organization of institutions with collections of art, collaborating to enable educational use of museum multimedia...
an educational resource available to universities, colleges, public libraries, elementary and secondary schools, and museums.
Schyrgens has been shown in Brussels, Amsterdam, The Hage, Paris, London, Rome, Quebec City, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Kenora (Ont.). His works are on exhibition inis the collection of Laval University, Quebec, and in the Kunstmuseum aan Zee, Oostende, Belgium.
He influenced other artists, such as Michael Dobson.
