Photo by Graham Bezant/Toronto Star
Price range: $1500-$110,000

1924 - 1990

Harold Town

, OC, DLitt, RCA

Harold Town (1924-1990 Peterborough, Ontario) was one of Canada ’s most prolific and versatile artists. His vast body of work comprises paintings, etchings, lithographs, collages, drawings and works in other media.

During his lifetime, his work was shown at major galleries and international exhibitions in North and South America and in Europe.

He was a founding member of Painters Eleven, the name of the group which was based simply on the number of artists that were present the first meeting. This group of artists helped to introduce Canadians to abstract art in the 1950’s.

Throughout his career he remained a focus of controversy for his original artwork, flamboyant public persona and outspoken opinions.

Town was trained at Central Technical School and Ontario College of Art, both in Toronto. Influenced by the work of Pablo Picasso and Willem de Kooning, and as well, Asian art at the Royal Ontario Museum, he developed a collage technique that was acclaimed and Town represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in 1956 and 1964 and at the São Paolo Bienal in 1957 and 1961.

Known as an “unpredictable” painter, Town’s work moved quickly from a dark expressionist style to abstraction which contrasted vivid colours. In the 1960s, Town developed a style of prints which he called “Single Autograph Prints”, a phrase he never explained. These monotype prints were colourful and delicate, winning Town awards in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia and Santiago, Chile, were the prints were acquired by the Solomon Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Alfred Barr the director of MoMA at the time called Town “one of the world’s greatest printmakers.”

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Available Works

early work, Painters Eleven, abstract expressionist, mixed media, work on paper, influencer, Toronto, art critic, red, emergent, avante garde
Mediator, 1963
early work, Painters Eleven, abstract expressionist, mixed media, work on paper, influencer, Toronto, art critic, red, emergent, avante garde
Departure of the Tyranny of the Corner, 1963
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, snap series, oval, bright
Snap #82 (3123), 1974
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, mushroom, snap, alive
Snap #85 (#1917), 1974
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy envelope, SAP
Snap (Double Envelope, #1915), 1976
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, texture, snap, small-scale, burlap
Untitled Snap (#2224), ca. 1973
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, submarine
Untitled (#3007)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, book, illustration, arrow
Pursuit Set, 1962
early work, Painters Eleven, abstract expressionist, mixed media, work on paper, influencer, Toronto, art critic, oil, layers, crackling, prism
The Hidden Garden, 1982-3
early work, Painters Eleven, abstract expressionist, mixed media, work on paper, influencer, Toronto, art critic, blue, teepee
Park 37, 1972 (#7973)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, SAP
President Shape 2 (#2486), 1969-70
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, Stretch, complimentary
Stretch 1, 1971
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, SAP
Dark Slice (#10117), 1958
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, SAP
The Inventors First Idea (#7914), 1956
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, SAP, free form
Untitled (#8491), 1955
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, snap, SAP, triangle, angular, dark
Untitled (#11614), 1955
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, SAP, mixed media, orange, layers
Slice of the Scared Oak, one Only (#11625), 1956
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, orange, SAP, free-line
Impermanent Toys (#8640), ca. 1956
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, peanut, SAP
Untitled (#12288), 1958
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, haze, SAP, layered, ghost
Last Fall (#6122), 1956
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, fish, SAP, red
Focus (#7774), 1957
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, minimalism, SAP, smile
Untitled (The Big Push), 1954
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, love, strong, red, SAP
Racing White (no.12055), 1951
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, collage, SAP, pink, granite
Old Games (#8991), 1955-7
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, pink, blocky, cubism, SAP
Toy Horse 136, 1979 (8056)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, dancing, rearing
Toy Horse (2545)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, pink, blocky, cubism, SAP
ToyHorse (10073)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, brown, gouache
Toy Horse (#3354), 1979
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, mechanical pen
Toy Horse #187, 11- 4, 1982, invent. #2832
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, rearing up, detail, SAP, black background
Toy Horse #157 (12178)
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, toy horses, mixed media, dark, green, black, child-like, minimal
Toy Horse #52, Mar 1978 invent#8081
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, creativity, snap, black and white, ink
Peripatetic Hamburger #1
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, Henry Moore, black and white, ink, sketch, small
His Master’s Voice in Marble 1961
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, figure, black and white, ink, story-telling, movies
John Barrymore and Mary Ashton in Don Juan 1926, 1984
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, sensual, figure, black and white, ink
Bacchante 1957
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, centre figure
Vale Variation No.7
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, figures, dark, whimsy
Vale Variation No.4
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, Florence, mythology, Egypt
Vale Variation No.5
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, triangle, negative space
Vale Variation No.6
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, series, myth, pyramid
Vale Variation No.1
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, stars, dancing
Vale Variation No.3
Action expressionism, Ontario artist, abstraction, Venice Bienanale, Toronto, Painters eleven, linocut, black and white, ink, form, figure, playful
Vale Variation No.2

Catalogs

Harold Town: “The Wild One” Solo Exhibition e-Catalog 2020
HAROLD TOWN: THE WILD ONE
APRIL 25 – MAY 20, 2020

Harold Town was renowned for his fiery personality and his insatiable need to paint and create art. Founder of the Painters Eleven, Town made a mark on Canadian history. This exhibition will reveal his abilities as a master draftsman with his meticulous abilities to draw and yet his ability to create ‘outside the box’ and unveil a new dimension to his art-making career and abilities; a true creator and artist through and through.

Over the years, Town represented Canada in exhibitions in Amsterdam, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Edinburgh, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Tokyo, Venice, Vienna, Warsaw and Washington. He proved that Canada could produce innovative art that is relevant on the international stage, and he brought a new level of confidence and sophistication to the Canadian art scene. – Warren Dunford

To view the on-line catalogue now click HERE

View Catalog
Harold Town: “SAPs & SNAPS” Solo Exhibition e-catalog 2016

With a selection of oils, drawings, and prints this show exemplifies Town’s diversity and originality. Town was a very charismatic and exuberant member of the Painters Eleven. These hand-selected works from the Town estate are fabulous! We really hope you will be able to join us in celebrating Town’s great contribution to art in Canada at the Opening on March 5th. Come and be wowed!

Exhibition e-Catalog can be viewed HERE
View Catalog
Clem Said Group Exhibition e-Catalog 2017

​“ClemSaid” Group Exhibition:

Works by: Ronald Bloore, Ted Godwin, Dorothy Knowles, Kenneth Lochhead, and Harold Town

October 11 – 26, 2017

“ClemSaid” explores the relationships -from positive to negative- that this renowned critic had on 5 artists currently represented by Wallace Galleries.

Exhibition e-Catalog available HERE

The five artists; Ronald Bloore, Ted Godwin, Dorothy Knowles, Kenneth Lochhead, and Harold Town each had their own experiences and opinions on Greenberg and his views on [Modern] art.

As an influential art mind, Greenberg impacted the Canadian art scene with his visits, and his brief or lifelong connection with each artist exhibited had an impact on their art career in one way or another.

We invite you to enjoy the works and walk through a bit of history with each of these great artists… let your mind go & explore another world.

View Catalog