Skip to main content
Collections Menu
LOCHHEAD, Kenneth
LOCHHEAD, Kenneth

LOCHHEAD, Kenneth

Canadian, 1926 - 2006
BiographyKenneth Lochhead (1926 - 2006), has an international exhibition history that spans over fifty years. His work has been collected by major institutions across Canada, including the National Gallery of Canada, Art Gallery of Ontario, Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal to mention a few. In 1971 Lochhead made the Governor General's Honours List, and was awarded the Order of Canada in the same year. Lochhead has explored a gamut of styles, known most for his Post-Painterly Abstraction in the 1960's, and later moved to landscapes infused with romantic surrealism in the 1980's. His last decade saw bold and vibrant figures and landscapes. As one of the founders of the Emma Lake Artist's Workshop, Lochhead has a proven track record of innovation. In 1996 Lochhead became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy. In 2006, Lochhead was awarded the Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts.

1944 Summer Art School, Queens University, Kingston
1945-48 Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1946-48 Barnes Foundation, Merion, PA

Teaching
Carleton University, Ottawa, 1950
School of Art, University of Saskatchewan, Regina, 1950 –1964, Director
School of Fine Arts, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, 1964 – 1973, Associate Professor
Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, York University, Toronto, 1973 – 1974, Professor, 1974 – 1975, Acting Chair
Department of Visual Arts, University of Ottawa, 1975 – 1989, Professor

Awards
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Tuition Scholarships, 1946 – 1948
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Emlin Cresson Memorial Travelling Scholarship, 1948
O’Keefe Art Awards Competition, Toronto, 1950, First Prize
Winnipeg Art Gallery, Biennial, 1962, First Prize
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Annual Spring Exhibition, 1963, Jessie Dow Award
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Annual Spring Exhibition, 1964, Robinson Award
Governor General’s Honours List, 1971
Awarded Medal of the Order of Canada, 1971
Canada Council Grant, 1971
Member: Royal Canadian Academy, 1996
Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts, 2006
Committees
Department of Public Works, Fine Arts Advisory Committee, 1972
Wascana Center Authority, Regina, Chairman, Fine Arts Advisory Committee, 1975 – 1988
City of Ottawa, Advisory Committee for the Ottawa Art Gallery, 1976 – 1977
Ottawa National Capital Commission Art Advisory Committee, 1977 – 1980, member, 1981 – 1985, Chairman
Art Gallery of Ontario, Board of Trustees, and 1979 – 1981
Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Furnishings Committee, 1987 – 1989

Chronology
1926 Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
1944 Attended Summer Art School, Queens University
1945 Enrolled at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A
1946 Continued study at PAFA and also enrolled in Barnes Foundation, Merion, PA, U.S.A. Received tuition scholarships at PAFA for 1946, 1947 and 1948
1948 Awarded the Emlin Cresson Memorial Travelling Scholarship in mural decoration for study and travel in England, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Switzerland.
1949 Employed as a designer for international exhibits by the Canadian Exhibition
1950 Commission, Department of Trade and Commerce, Ottawa
1950 Introduced a studio course in drawing and painting at Carleton University
Appointed Director, School of Art, University of Saskatchewan
1955 Awarded Commission to execute mural decoration for the International Airport Terminal, Gander, Nfld.
1958 Leave of absence from University of Saskatchewan for study in Italy, Austria, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and France.
1961 Chairman of Symposium, Five Regina Artists, National Gallery of Canada
1962 Painting Prize, Biennial Winnipeg Art Gallery
1963 Jessie Dow Award, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Annual Spring Exhibition
1964 Robinson Award for the top prize in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, 81ST Annual Spring Exhibition
1964 Resigned as Director of School of Art, University of Saskatchewan, Regina
Appointed Associate Professor, School of Fine Arts, University of Manitoba
Included in Post-Painterly Abstraction, by Clement Greenberg, Los Angeles County Museum
1966 Awarded commission to execute six banner-like hangings for the Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1967 Awarded commission to execute two banners for the Pan-Am Swimming Pool Winnipeg, Manitoba
1968 Awarded commission to execute banner design and fifteen copies for Winters College, York University, Toronto, ON
Awarded commission to execute banner for the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba
Included in Canada 101 Edinburgh International Festival Exhibition
1969 Conducted artist’s workshop at the Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Center, St Andrews, New Brunswick
Awarded commission to execute design of Manitoba Centennial Stamp 1870 – 1910
1970 Awarded commission to execute relief decoration for the Canadian Chancery, Warsaw, Poland
Awarded commission to design two lithographs, Lithography Workshop, Nova Scotia College
Awarded commission to execute mural decoration for the Bank of Montreal, Winnipeg, Manitoba
1971 Awarded Medal of the Order of Canada (OC)
Awarded commission to execute mural for the Department of External Affairs, Ottawa
Judged West ’71 Exhibition, Edmonton Art Gallery
Awarded Canada Council Grant
Conducted artist’s workshop at the Sunbury Shores Art and Nature Center, St Andrews, N.B.
1972 Appointed to the Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Department of Public Works, Government of Canada, Ottawa
1973 Resigned from School of Art, University of Manitoba
Appointed Professor in Painting, Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, York University, Toronto
1974 Appointed Acting Chair, Department of Visual Arts, York University
Elected to serve as trustee, Art Gallery of Ontario
1975 Resigned from York University
Appointed Prof. in Painting, Dept. of Visual Arts, University of Ottawa
Appointed Chair, Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina, Sask. 1975 – 1988.
1976 Member of Advisory Committee to the City of Ottawa for the building of a new Ottawa Art Gallery
1977 Attended International Congress of Museums in Leningrad and Moscow, USSR
Appointed Member of the National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
Advisory Committee to the City of Ottawa
1978 Member of the National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
1979 Member of the Board of Trustees, AGO
1980 Advisor to Algonquin College, Dept. of Visual Arts
Member of the National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
Member of the Board of Trustees, AGO
1981 Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
Member of the Board of Trustees AGO
1982 Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
Chairman National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
1983 Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
1984 Chairman National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
1985 Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
Chairman National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
Builds and establishes at Burnett, Quebec
1986 Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
Chairman National Capitol Commission Art Advisory Committee
1987 Member of Furnishings Committee, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Canada
Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina
1988 Member of Furnishings Committee, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Canada
Chairman Fine Arts Advisory Committee, Wascana Center Authority, Regina

Exhibitions
1953 Annual Exhibition of Canadian Painting - National Gallery of Canada
Progressive Painters of Western Canada - University of Manitoba
Solo: Art Gallery, Regina College, University of Saskatchewan
Solo: Robertson Art Gallery, Ottawa
1954 5th Annual Exhibition - The Saskatchewan Arts Board
1st Annual Artists of Regina Exhibition - Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery
1955 Ten Artists of Saskatchewan - Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Saskatchewan Society of Artists: Second Exhibition - Regina and Saskatoon
1957 2nd Bicentennial of Canadian Art - National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
Contemporary Canadian Painters - National Gallery of Canada, Touring Exhibit for circulation in Australia
1958 Canadian Paintings for Canadian Art Gallery Pavilion, Brussels World Fair;
Utrecht Central Museum; Groninger Museum; Fine Arts Museum, Mexico City,
Mexico; Tunis, Africa.9th Annual Exhibition of the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Regina and Saskatoon
1960 Win Hedore - Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery
1961 The 4th Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Art. The National Gallery of Canada
12th Annual Exhibition of Saskatchewan Art
The May Show - Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina
Five Painters from Regina - National Gallery of Canada, for circulation
15th Annual Exhibition and Sale of Contemporary Painting and Sculpture -
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Solo: Saskatchewan House Summer Festival.
1962 Contemporary Exhibition and Sale - Vancouver Art Gallery
Winter Exhibition - Art Gallery of Hamilton
The C.l.L. Art Collection of Paintings by Canadians
13th Annual Exhibiton - The Saskatchewan Arts Board
Canadian Paintings to Warsaw, Poland - National Gallery of Canada, circulating
79th Annual Spring Show - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Quebec
5th Annual Exhibition and Sale of Works by Canadians
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada Exhibition
Painting at Stratford - Nine Prairie Province Painters
1st Biennial Winnipeg Show - Winnipeg Art Gallery
Webster College, St. Louis, USA
Solo: The lsaacs Gallery, Toronto
1963 Contemporary Canadian Painting and Sculpture - Rochester Memorial Art, Rochester New York
14th Annual Exhibition - Saskatchewan Arts Board
80th Spring Annual - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Quebec
6th Annual Exhibition and Sale of Canadian Paintings - the National
Council of Jewish Women
Invitational Exhibit of Saskatchewan Painting - Alberta College of Art, Calgary
Aviva Chapter Hadassah Art Auction of Canadian Painting, Toronto. Painters from the East - Galerie Agnes Lefort, Montreal
5th Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Painting, National Gallery of Canada
Solo: Art Gallery, Regina College, University of Saskatchewan, Regina
Solo: Robertson Art Gallery, Ottawa
1964 8th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Ottawa and London Mendel Selects from the Mendel Collection - Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina
Surrealism in Canadian Painting - The London Public Gallery and Art Museum
7th Annual Exhibition and Sale of Canadian Painting - Ottawa Section of the
National Council of Jewish Women
81st Annual Spring Exhibition - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal
Post-Painterly Abstraction, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Walker Art Centre, The Art Gallery of Toronto. The Winnipeg Show, Winnipeg
1965 Ten Canadian Artists - Carleton University, Ottawa
University of Manitoba Staff Show - University Dafoe Library Gallery
Brandon Allied Art Centre - 2nd Annual Carnival Show, Brandon.
Yellow Door Art Gallery, Winnipeg
Eleven Winnipeg Artists - MacLaren Advertising Co. Ltd, Toronto
6th Biennial Exhibition of Canadian Painting - National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa
93rd Annual Exhibition of the Ontario Society of Artists - Art Gallery of Toronto
Solo: The Lefort Galerie, Montreal
Solo: The New Design Gallery, Vancouver
Solo: MacIntosh Memorial Gallery, University of Western Ontario, London
1966 University of Manitoba School of Art, Staff Show. University Dafoe Library
2nd Annual MacLaren Aquisition Show, Winnipeg
Spring Show: Prize Award Winners: 1908-1965 - Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
The Tenth Annual Winnipeg Show - Winnipeg Art Gallery
Solo: The Yellow Door Gallery, Winnipeg
Solo: The Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, Regina
Solo: The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
1967 Canadian Art of Our Time - Eaton's Gallery, Winnipeg, Winnipeg Art Gallery Show Twenty Canadians - The Douglas Gallery, Vancouver
Images for A Canadian Heritage - Vancouver Art Gallery
Canadian Universities Centennial Exhibition of Drawings - University of Ottawa Tour
Painting in Saskatchewan 1883-1950 - Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina
and Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
Solo: The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredricton
Solo: Laing Galleries, Toronto
1968 The Kingston Spring Exhibition of Art - Agnes Etherington Gallery, Kingston
Canada 101 - Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland
1969 The Canada Council Collection - National Gallery, circulation throughout Canada
Solo: Gallerie Fore, Winnipeg
1970 150 Years of Manitoba Art of the Manitoba Art Gallery -exhibited at the
Manitoba Legislative Buildings, Winnipeg
Solo: The University of Lethbridge Art Gallery, Lethbridge
1971 Canadian Art Exhibition - arranged by the Art Gallery of Ontario for the Ringling Art Museum, Florida, USA
Lithographs from the Lithographers' Workshop - Nova Scotia College of Art and Design for circulation by the National Gallery, Ottawa
Solo: Dunkelman Gallery, Toronto
Solo: Galerie Godard Lefort, Montreal
1972 Artists Nations Exhibition - Moorhead State College, Moorhead, Minnesota
Solo: Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg
Solo: Gallery Ill, University of Manitoba, University of Alberta, University
of Edmonton and Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
1973 Solo: Marlboro Godard Gallery, Toronto
1974 Aspects of Canadian Painting - Albright Knox Gallery, Buffalo, New York
Thirteen Artists from Marlboro Godard, Toronto and Montreal Marlboro Galleries, New York
Twelve by Twelve - The Owens Art Gallery, Sackville
Solo: Marlboro Godard Gallery, Toronto
1975 Solo: Individual works shown at Marlboro Godard Gallery
1976 Montreal and Toronto venues
Ontario Now - a survey of contemporary art organized and
circulated by the Art Gallery of Hamilton to Kitchener-Waterbo Art Gallery
1987 Orinthologicaesthetics or Bird Talk. A One Man Exhibition of Enamels on
Paper by Kenneth Lochhead - Robertson Galleries, Ottawa
Solo: Mira Godard Gallery, Toronto
The Garden: Recent Oil Paintings by Kenneth Lochhead
1988 Solo: Abstract Paintings 1962-1967 by Kenneth Lochhead -Dunlop Art
Gallery, Regina
Solo: A Garden of Delights by Kenneth Lochhead - Artscourt, Ottawa.
1989 Beneath the Surface - Gallery 101, Ottawa
The Flat Side of the Landscape - The Emma Lake Artists' Workshops Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon
1991 Solo: Gardens In Time: Recent Oil Paintings by Kenneth Lochhead
Robertson Galleries, Ottawa
1992 The Crisis of Abstraction in Canada: The 1950s - National Gallery of Canada
Touring Exhibition
Solo: Garden in Time: Recent Oil Paintings by Kenneth Lochhead
Gallery One, Toronto
1993 The Urban Prairie - Mendel Art Gallery Touring Exhibition
People and Places - Gallery 454, Winnipeg
The Team - Gallery One, Toronto
Recent Watercolours by Kenneth Lochhead - Robertson Ottawa
1994 Hidden Values: Western Corporations Collect - Edmonton Art Gallery Dynamics of Abstraction - Art Gallery of Peterborough
1995 The Spirit of the Cathedral - National Gallery of Canada and Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Ottawa
Solo: Kenneth Lochhead: Recent Paintings - Karsh-Masson Gallery, City of Ottawa
1996 Stored Secrets II: The vault on view – Winnipeg Art Gallery Corel Viva les arts – Council for the Arts in Ottawa
1997 Solo: Ken Lochhead, Forest Interiors, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
Ken Lochhead, Forest Interiors, Minto Plaza Suite Hotel, Ottawa
1999 Solo: Ken Lochhead, Summer Play, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
2000 Solo: Ken Lochhead, Fashiontide, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
2001 Solo: Ken Lochhead, Pot-Pourri, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
2002 Solo: Ken Locchead, Interior Light, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
2005 Solo: Kenneth Lochhead, Garden of Light, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina
2008 Solo: Ken Lochhead, The Later Landscapes, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
2010 Solo: Ken Lochhead, The Art of Sport, Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto

Public Collections
Agnes Etherington Art Centre - Queen's University
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Peterborough
Art Gallery of Windsor
Beaverbrook Art Gallery
Canada Council
Canada Council Art Bank
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Carleton University Art Gallery
City of Ottawa Art Collection
Confederation Centre Art Gallery and Museum
Dalhousie University
Dunlop Art Gallery
Edmonton Art Gallery
Glenbow Museum
Government of Canada – Dept. of Foreign Affairs & International Trade Transport Canada
London Regional Art and Historical Museums
McMaster Museum of Art
Memorial University Art Gallery
Mendel Art Gallery - Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
National Aviation Museum
National Gallery of Canada
Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery - University of Regina
Ottawa Art Gallery
Ottawa City Archives
Owens Art Gallery - Mount Allison University
Province of Manitoba Collection
Regional Municipality of Ottawa - Carleton
Saskatchewan Arts Board
Saskatoon Gallery and Conservatory Corporation
State Art Collection, Canada
University of Calgary
University of Lethbridge Art Gallery
University of New Brunswick
University of Regina Library and Archives
Vancouver Art Gallery
Winnipeg Art Gallery
York University Art Gallery
Anglo America
Bell Canada
Bank of Nova Scotia
Bank of Montreal
Benson and Hedges Canada
Botton Tremblay
British Petroleum (BP) Canada
Branalta Development
Cadillac Fairview
CARCA Development
Ciba Geigy Limited
CIL
City Trust
Coopers and Lybrand
Dobell and Glassco
Dofasco
Dougfas Coape Amos, New York
Esso Resources Limited
Gowling and Henderson
Guaranty Trust
Gulf Canada
Imperial Oil Company
Imperial Tobacco Company
Inco Canada Limited
Halifax Insurance
Irving Oil
uriers and Binnington
Unite
Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club
Xerox of Canada Limited

Corporate Collections:
Mercantile Bank
Midland Walwyn
Minto Place Suite Hotel
Mobil Oil
National Trust
Nav Canada
Northland
Oshawa Group Limited
Ottawa Senators Hockey Club
Pan Canadian
Peat Marwick
PetroCanada
Polystar Limited
Royal Bank of Canada
Scrivener's Engineering
Shell Canada Collection
Secal - Alcan Limited
Standard Trust Company
Sutton Place
Swiss Bank
Thorne Riddell
Toronto-Dominion Bank
Toronto Stock Exchange
Tory, Tory, Deslauriers and Binnington
Unitel
Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club
Xerox of Canada Limited

Source: Courtesy of Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
Person TypeIndividual
Terms