Along with other early printmakers such as George Weber (1907-2002) and Annora Brown (1899-1987), James Agrell Smith helped form the strong foundation of today’s printmaking practice in Alberta. He was elected an associate member of the CPE (Canadian Society of Painters, Etchers, and Engravers) in 1952, with full membership in 1954. Along with George Weber, Smith was instrumental in setting up the Western Chapter, Edmonton Branch of the CPE (Weber as president, Smith as secretary). Both exhibited prints in the influential Hart House show entitled Western Printmakers Exhibit in 1957. Smith exhibited consistently with the CPE during the 1950’s and 60’s as well as in the 1960’s at the Northwest Printmakers International Exhibitions in Seattle, Washington, USA.
James Agrell Smith was born in Stettler, Alberta. Although he attended summer school courses at Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB in 1944, he was considered a self-taught artist. Upon his discharge from the Canadian Army in 1947 he worked as a freelance artist (1948-1950) until he took on full-time employment with Canada Post in Red Deer, Alberta. He retired in 1970 and died in Red Deer in 1988. His employment greatly influenced the volume of his artistic output, particularly since he worked in the time-consuming traditional relief technique of woodcuts and wood engravings.
Agrell Smith’s images are realistic, strong in character, and narrative. The traditional black and white images are usually small in format. Smith had a great interest in texture and achieved this in his work through the use of cross-hatching, stippling, and broad jagged cuts, often repeated for effect.
His work is found in the public collections of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Art Gallery of Alberta, and the Glenbow Museum as well as many private collections. |
