Born in 1895 in England, Roland Gissing emerged as one of Canada's most beloved landscape painters, renowned for his depictions of the rugged beauty of the Canadian Rockies and the vast expanses of the western plains. Gissing's journey from the rolling hills of England to the wilds of Alberta is as captivating as the scenes he meticulously captured on canvas. His story is one of resilience, passion, and a deep connection to the landscapes that inspired him.
Early Life and Western Adventures
Roland Gissing was born into a literary family; his father, Algernon Gissing, was a well-known author, and his uncle, Robert George Gissing, was a noted English novelist. Despite his family's literary background, Gissing was drawn to the visual arts from a young age. He received his first formal art instruction at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, where he honed his skills and developed a love for sketching.
But it wasn't just art that captured Gissing's imagination. Movies of the American West, with their sweeping vistas and adventurous spirit, ignited a desire in him to experience this world firsthand. In 1913, at the age of 18, Gissing made the bold decision to leave England and venture to Canada. He arrived in Calgary, where he was soon hired as a cowhand. For the next decade, Gissing lived the life of a cowboy, working on ranches across Alberta, Montana, Nebraska, and Arizona. He made sketches of ranch scenes, but it wasn't until later that he would fully immerse himself in painting.
The Artist Emerges
Gissing eventually returned to Calgary, driven by the allure of the Calgary Stampede. It was during this time that his sketches caught the eye of Captain Mortimer, a cousin of the Duke of Richmond. Mortimer, impressed by Gissing's talent, purchased several of his works and encouraged him to pursue formal art training. Another guest at Mortimer's ranch, the prominent Canadian artist C.W. Jefferys, also saw promise in Gissing's sketches. Jefferys advised Gissing to continue painting in his own style, a suggestion that would shape the trajectory of Gissing's artistic career.
Taking this advice to heart, Gissing held his first solo exhibition in 1929 at Jack Booth's gallery in Calgary. The show was a resounding success, and Gissing decided to open a studio in the city. However, the market crash later that year posed significant challenges. Despite the economic downturn, Gissing remained in Calgary, where he decorated the Hudson's Bay cafeteria and the Club Cafe. But by 1931, he returned to Cochrane, Alberta, where he married and continued to paint for a living.
Challenges and Triumphs
Gissing's life was not without its trials. In March 1944, a devastating fire destroyed his home and studio, along with countless paintings and books. Deeply discouraged but undeterred, Gissing rebuilt his life and continued to paint. His resilience paid off as his work gained recognition and continued to sell.
Initially influenced by the works of Leonard Richmond and A.C. Leighton, Gissing gradually developed his own distinctive style. His paintings, characterized by their clear and soft tones, often depicted serene mountain landscapes bathed in a golden, subdued radiance. Though he primarily worked in oils, Gissing also produced many watercolors between 1944 and 1946. His process often involved spending weeks at a time in the mountains, traveling by car, packhorse, or on foot, where he would sketch his subjects on small canvases before bringing them to life in his studio.
Gissing's talents extended beyond painting. He was an avid model railroad enthusiast, building an intricate model railroad described by Richard Needham as "done to scale 17/32 of an inch to the foot," with locomotives running on steam powered by methylated spirits. Gissing crafted nearly every component of his railroad by hand, demonstrating the same meticulous attention to detail that characterized his paintings.
Legacy and Recognition
Gissing's contributions to Canadian art were widely recognized during his lifetime. He became an associate member of the Alberta Society of Artists when it was first formed in 1930 and achieved full membership in 1947. His paintings were admired by many, including prominent figures such as General H.D. Crerar and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and they found homes in numerous private and public collections across Canada and beyond.
In addition to being collected by art enthusiasts, Gissing's work was sought after by publishers and lithographers for reproduction on calendars, Christmas cards, and book illustrations. His ability to capture the essence of the Canadian West made his paintings particularly popular, and they continue to be celebrated for their beauty and technical skill.
Roland Gissing passed away in 1967, but his legacy lives on through his art. His paintings remain a testament to the grandeur of the Canadian landscape and the spirit of the West, a place that captured his heart and fueled his artistic vision. Today, Gissing is remembered not only as a masterful painter but also as a cowboy who found his true calling in the vast, untamed wilderness of Canada.
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