Josephas Plaskettas

Early Life and Artistic Training

Joseph Plaskett was born on 12 July 1918 in New Westminster, British Columbia, the son of an Anglican clergyman. His early path was far from the studio. He initially pursued the study of history, a discipline that led him into a six-year career teaching school. This period of formal instruction was a detour before his true focus emerged in 1944. He did not simply stumble into art; he sought out the technical foundations necessary to transform a late interest into a professional practice.

His formal training began at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. This was not a solitary pursuit. He moved on to the Banff School of Fine Arts, where his development was shaped by the presence of A.Y. Jackson. Studying under such a figure provided the technical rigor that would define his later output. By 1945, he had already integrated himself into the B.C. Society of Artists, signaling a transition from a teacher of history to a practitioner of visual art.

Studies in North America and Europe

Plaskett’s technical development was shaped by a series of deliberate, high-level academic pursuits across two continents. In 1946, Lawren Harris awarded him the first Emily Carr Scholarship, a move that facilitated his transition to studying in the United States. This led him to the San Francisco School of Art, where his formal training moved beyond the initial foundations laid in Canada. By 1947, his focus shifted toward the influential pedagogical centers of New York and Provincetown, where he studied under Hans Hofmann. This period was critical in refining his understanding of form and space before he turned his attention toward the European tradition.

The move to Europe marked a definitive shift in his professional trajectory. Between 1949 and 1951, he studied in Paris under Fernand Léger, a period that coincided with his eventual departure from abstraction. His technical repertoire expanded further in 1953 when he took up etching and engraving with Stanley William Hayter in Paris, supported by a Canadian Government Overseas Scholarship. This rigorous training in printmaking was followed by a period of study at the Slade School in London from 1951 to 1952, funded by a bursary from the British Arts Council. These years of study provided the structural discipline that would define his later output.

Life and Work in Paris

Paris was the definitive setting for Plaskett’s mature artistic identity. After years of studying under various instructors, he made the decisive choice to renounce abstraction in favor of a more direct engagement with the physical world. This shift led him to focus on still lifes rendered in oils. He settled in the Marais district, a location that provided the visual substance for his continued development. By 1957, he had established a studio in the city, marking a permanent commitment to the European lifestyle that had long influenced his perspective.

His presence in the Marais was not merely professional; it was deeply integrated into the local fabric. He and David Hill undertook the renovation of an abandoned house in the district, transforming it into a space that reflected the history of the area. This environment shaped the output of his later years. While his oil paintings captured the immediate presence of objects, his pastel works took on a different character, often described as romanticized impressionism. He remained a resident of this district until 2000, maintaining a consistent connection to the city's aesthetic traditions for decades.

Technique and Artistic Style

Plaskett’s technical repertoire was defined by a decisive break from abstraction in favor of a romanticized impressionism. He found his most significant expression through still life and floral subjects, utilizing oil and pastel to capture the immediate presence of his surroundings. His work in Paris was particularly prolific in the medium of pastel, where he developed a specific sensitivity to light and form that defined his mature period.

The artist’s command over line and texture extended beyond the brush. He mastered etching and engraving, techniques that required a rigorous, disciplined approach to composition. This versatility allowed him to move between the fluid, atmospheric qualities of his pastels and the precise, structural demands of printmaking. His output was not limited to a single method; he navigated between the spontaneous nature of drawing and the controlled application of oil paint.

Professional Roles and Memberships

Plaskett’s career was defined by institutional involvement and leadership within the Canadian art scene. In 1945, he joined the B. C. Society of Artists, marking his early integration into the professional community. His administrative capabilities were recognized when he served as the director of the Winnipeg School of Art from 1947 to 1949. This period of leadership occurred during a formative era for Canadian art education.

His standing in the national landscape was solidified through memberships in several prestigious organizations. He was a member of the Canadian Group of Painters and held a position within the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. These affiliations placed him at the center of the country's formal artistic structures. His professional status was further validated in 2000 when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions to the visual arts.

Later Years and Death

The year 2000 marked a significant transition for Plaskett. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, a recognition of his long-standing contributions to the visual arts. Following this honor, he moved from the urban environment of Paris to the English countryside, settling in Suffolk, England.

His final years were spent in the quietude of his country home, The Cedars. He remained active in the art community until his health declined due to dementia. Plaskett died on 21 September 2014 at the age of 96. His death marked the end of a career that spanned over seven decades of professional painting.

Legacy and the Joseph Plaskett Foundation

Plaskett’s influence extends beyond his own canvases through the institutional support he established for others. In 2004, he founded the Joseph Plaskett Foundation to provide scholarships to Canadian artists. This initiative was a direct response to the opportunities he received during his own career, specifically the Emily Carr Scholarship that facilitated his studies in the United States. His commitment to the next generation of painters remains a tangible part of the Canadian art landscape.

The most significant outcome of this foundation is the Joseph Plaskett Award in Painting. This biennial Canadian Arts prize, also known as The Plaskett, provides $65,000 to recent or current Canadian MFA graduate students specializing in painting. The award is designed to support mature students in their pursuit of travel and artistic development in Europe, mirroring the educational path Plaskett himself took. It functions as a substantial financial catalyst for emerging talent.

His name also remains attached to physical spaces in his birthplace. The Plaskett Gallery at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster was named in his honour, ensuring his connection to British Columbia remains visible. His legacy is not merely found in museum collections, but in the continued financial and structural support he left behind for the Canadian painting community.

Where to See the Works Today

Plaskett’s presence in Canadian institutional collections is substantial and geographically widespread. His paintings are held by the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario, ensuring his visual language remains part of the national canon. In Western Canada, his work is represented in the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. These holdings demonstrate the reach of his influence across the country's major urban centers.

The breadth of his institutional footprint extends into the prairies and the Maritimes. Collectors and scholars can find his output in the Winnipeg Art Gallery and the Glenbow Museum. Furthermore, his work is part of the collection at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. These specific locations provide the necessary context to understand his shift from abstraction toward the romanticized impressionism of his later years.