Helen Waimel Robertson
Helen Waimel Robertson | |
|---|---|
 Helen Robertson working on a stone panel (1953). | |
| Born | Tartu, Estonia |
| Education | OCAD University |
Helen Waimel Robertson née Staebler (1917-2002) was a Canadian sculptor.[1][2]
Biography[edit]
Born in Tartu, Estonia, Robertson emigrated with her family to Canada in 1926. In 1934, she received a scholarship to attend Ontario College of Art. One of her teachers was Emanuel Hahn, the first president of the Sculptors Society of Canada. She graduated from the four-year program in three years, and was the recipient of a Governor General's Academic Medal. Robinson became a member of the Sculptors' Society of Canada in 1954. Robertson eventually settled in Chippawa, Ontario, with her husband A. Blake Robertson and lived there for the rest of her life.[3][4]
Work[edit]
Robertson worked in several media, including metals, stone, and wood. She was commissioned by the Canadian government to sculpt coats of arms and other works.[3][5] She designed the Canadian Coat of Arms in the St. Catharine's Federal Building,[6] the coat of arms in the Customs Building in Niagara Falls, and Stations for the Cross for St. Kevin's Roman Catholic Church, Welland.[7][8] Other commissions include works for the Colonnade in Toronto, the Cobourg Municipal Building, the Niagara Falls City Hall, St. Denis School in St. Catharines, and the Workman's Compensation Rehabilitation Centre.[4]
In 1940, Robertson sculpted water nymphs for the Bullas Bros. Furniture store on Charles Street, Kitchener and they adorned that building until it was torn down in 1985.[9] The city put the Bullas sculptures in storage as it searched for a permanent site for them until placing the cast stone works in the Centre In The Square.[10]
In November 2002, the Niagara Parks Commission and Robertson's family unveiled three sculptures outside of the Niagara Parks Greenhouse. The three bronze sculptures are collectively known as 'Golden Fountain'.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ Network, Government of Canada, Canadian Heritage, Canadian Heritage Information. "Artists in Canada". app.pch.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Fear, Jon (January 31, 2014). "The Record". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ a b "Canadian Women Artists History Initiative : Artist Database : Artists : ROBERTSON, Helen Waimel". cwahi.concordia.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
- ^ a b "Helen ROBERTSON Obituary - Niagara Falls, ON | ObitTree™". obittree.com. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
- ^ Legget, R. F.; Dickens, H. B. (1955). The Building Research Centre Ottawa. Ottawa: Technical Paper No. 25 of the Division of Building Research. p. 6.
- ^ "HistoricPlaces.ca - HistoricPlaces.ca". www.historicplaces.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
- ^ "Following In His Footsteps". fromareportersnotebook. 2014-04-05. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
- ^ "Helen Waimel Robertson - Arts and Culture Wall of Fame - City of Niagara Falls". City of Niagara Falls Website. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
- ^ Greeno, Cherri (27 Jan 2007). "City seeks new home for sculptures; Water nymphs". Waterloo Region Record.
- ^ "Downtown Stroll" (PDF).
- ^ The Niagara Parks Commission (2003). "The Niagara Parks Commission Annual Report 2003" (PDF).
Further reading[edit]
Cooper, Helen; Robertson, Margaret (2000). Helen Waimel Robertson: recent acquisitions. Ontario: s.n.