Remembering Through Art

Scott Waters, 'The Twins (3VP),' oil and acrylic on panel, 30"x 40", 2012.

Throughout the 20th Century, Canadian artists and art history has been inextricably linked to conflict around the world. During the onset of World War One, Lord Beaverbrook created the Canadian War Memorials Fund, a project to record the war from Canada’s point of view. From there Beaverbrook selected up and coming artists to document the war in film, photos, print and paint.  

Since the First World War there has been some type of artist program that has allowed Professional Canadian artists the opportunity to research, understand and reflect on the participation of men and women of the Canadian Forces in a wide variety of activities at home and abroad. 

While there are fewer and fewer veterans of the two world wars, the memory of these conflicts will live on through the work of the war art programs, which have and continue to create a visual record of conflicts overseas and at home for future generations. 


Remembrance Day Activities: 
In honour of Remembrance Day, the gallery will be hosting a number of thought provoking and enriching activities. 

Join us for these free events:




Sunday, November 3 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Family Sunday Art Drop-in - Origami Poppies
Our instructors will assist you in creating beautiful origami poppies to wear over your heart in honour of our Canadian veterans. The poppy became a symbol of remembrance and the sacrifice made by all Canadian soldiers after Lt. John McCrae penned his famous poem, In Flanders Fields during the First World War.

Wear your poppy with pride. 

Saturday, November 9, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Artist Talk: Scott Waters - Canadian Forces Artist Program (CFAP)
CFAP is the most recent initiative in a long history of war-art programs that started during the First World War.

In 2006, Scott Waters was accepted into CFAP, and travelled to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, to record the daily operations of the Second Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment prior to their deployment to Afghanistan. Waters was also selected to participate with the CFAP again in 2011, to record The Third Battalion of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, as they began The Canadian Forces' mission to train the Afghan National Army, in Kabul Afghanistan.

Water's body of work from that time investigates how military society operates as a social unit both in seclusion from and in relation to general society. He is particularly interested in showing the fraternity and loyalty of military life as a unit, working both for, and against how it is perceived by the general public. A former infantryman with the Third Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Walters draws on his time in the army, as well as his work with CFAP for inspiration.

Learn more about Waters' work as a war artist.  

Click here to register your seat for the talk>>