Beach at Shushwap Lake

George Bates

Statement: "As early as I can remember, I had always wanted to be an artist" "My three main concerns in painting are: colour, tonal values and design. By design not just composition but the total effect of colour and tone plus composition. Subject matter alone does not make a painting although most people, myself included, have an emotional response to the subject. For me, the waterfront of Vancouver and the coastline of the Pacific, offer an infinite variety of subjects and atmosphere enough to challenge any artist."

History: After serving in the R.A.F., George left England for North America. He emigrated to Canada in 1954. George's approach to painting draws from both the realist and impressionist traditions. Influenced from the beginning by artists such as John Singer Sargent and British impressionists like Alfred Sisley, he later came to appreciate the great marine painters Montague Dawson and Norman Wilkins. Bates also learned much from his friend of thirty years, Edwin C. Lockey, who valued simplicity of design in his own work.