George Burton Wallace

Cleaning my bookshelves, I found a catalogue of George Wallace’s Hamilton area welded sculptures. He was my ‘mentor’ at McMaster in the late ’70s and was absolutely pivotal in my career choice, having placed me as an apprentice potter with his friend Helen Brink.
So I checked the web, and found that he had died almost a year ago.
My belated condolences to his family, coupled with profound gratitude for his influence on my life.
Carolynne.

To the Family of George Wallace

In a book which I found on the bookshelf on the top Floor
of Huntington Street is an excerpt from Reinhold Niebhr
and the book is How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill
this piece spoke to me and I had a discussion about it
with Geo. It reminds me of how his views and art shed light on the
small details that fell out of the big picture of our civilization.

NOTHING THAT IS WORTH DOING CAN BE ACHIEVED IN OUR
LIFETIME ; THEREFORE WE MUST BE SAVED BY HOPE.
NOTHING WHICH IS TRUE OR BEAUTIFUL OR GOOD MAKES
COMPLETE SENSE IN ANY IMMEDIATE CONTEXT OF HISTORY;
THEREFORE WE MUST BE SAVED BY FAITH.
NOTHING WE DO, HOWEVER VIRTUOUS, CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED ALONE; THEREFORE WE MUST BE SAVED BY LOVE

IT was an honour and delight to have him as a friend.
Geo was an inspiring noble man

Herta Buller

I am so sorry to have learned so late that we have lost George. I am deeply sorry, also, that I didn’t see him these last years. We have had our health problems recently. I am sorry that I did not follow Margaret when she moved – and I do not have her address or telephone number (unless it is the same as the old one – I’ll try it).

I am also very distressed that I will miss the event on Sunday. I have to be in Vancouver to attend a quartet concert in which Frances is playing. I will be in touch with Margaret jusy as soon as I can on our return.

George was an exceptional person – but you all know that. Those of us who had the good fortune to be involved with him loved him dearly. He communicated a warmth and breadth of spirit that was totally his own. His sense of humour and wit – his remarkable way of seeing things in a different way and communicating them, made him a fascinating companion.

Artistically he was immensely gifted. When you looked at his figures or his sculptures, or his prints – he was mostly interested in the human figure or face – the world became a different place. His angels soared, his crabby gentlemen leered. His funny hats mocked. Relationships invited questions. One never knew where he would take you next. But there was a depth and sensitivity in his drawings that was particularly fine.

I would like to go on and on about this – his work begged you to explore it. For now, I just want to extend my sympathy to Margaret and the family. I will be in touch next week, as soon as I can find your telephone number and address – Peter joins me in love to you all – Erica.

I am grieved to learn of your loss and assure you of my deepest sympathy. Geo was a fine artist and a man of steady integrity. I really feel that this country is the less for losing him. But we do have his work which will continue to nourish us. I also remember his stories of Radley and other subjects. I am with you in your trouble. Love

Kildare

Dear Mrs. Wallace and family,
My deep and respectful condolences go out to all of you. There is also a sizeable group of fellow visual artists and appreciators of profound sculpture, prints, monotypes, and drawings who keenly grieve George’s death and joyfully celebrate his life. His former students, who carry his influence in their work and in their dedication to their work for the rest of their lives, feel a special indebtedness to George.
I came to know George during my tenure (1981-85) as Administrator of the Hamilton Artists Inc. The Inc. is an artist-run organization and gallery founded in 1975 and maintained to this day to a great extent by his former students.
From March 30 to April 30, 1983, a retrospective exhibition of ten large sculptures and twenty-seven graphic works by George Wallace was held at Hamilton Artists Inc. This exhibition was also the occasion of the first publication by the Inc., an illustrated catalogue with an introductory essay by Robert Yates. It was during the planning and the exhibition of 1983 that I came to know George.
I remember the thrill of encountering George during that time. (I had not studied with him.) He was initially somewhat intimidating to a young, aspiring artist. He was so knowledgeable; in all our eyes indisputably a great artist; difficult to read personally: sometimes seemingly gruff, but with a twinkle in his eye and a dry, ironic humour; so well-spoken in a way that seemed unattainable to a Canadian-born youth. Yet, he also seemed so appreciative, even honoured, to have an exhibition at the Inc.; so respectful of our efforts to establish a gallery on the street in the north end of Hamilton. We felt he took us seriously, and that meant a great deal to all of us. George had decided to apply paint, in flesh tones, to the figure in his just-completed welded steel sculpture, Lazarus risen from the dead. He shared with us his wonderings about that decision; encouraged our reflections. His apparent indecision about using flesh tones, his quest to fulfill the meaning of the piece, perhaps a feeling within himself that he’d gone ‘too far’ were for me a lesson never forgotten in the humility , even the insecurity, of the artist, even one who was so accomplished. And he took such joy in startling the viewer into genuinely engaging with the work, rousing the viewer to wake up.
Much before meeting George, I had known and been moved, shocked, by his work. It was probably in the summer of 1962, on a night of driving rain, thunder and lightening, that I took shelter on the back veranda of Wentworth House, the student centre at McMaster. I was a high school student. In a flash of lightening, I saw a figure hanging from the rafters. I truly thought that I’d encountered a suicide. It was George’s The Hanging Thief. It was also about 1962 that my parents bought a monotype of George’s called Night Sky (1960). It now hangs in my living room and I’ve looked at that work with awe almost every day for forty-five years. For me, it is the quintessential image of the depth and vitality of the universe.
George contributed so much to the life and work of all the artists who knew him and are familiar with his work. He continues to inspire us.

Respectfully,
Sam Robinson

Dear Margaret and family-
I learned of the death of George through the obituary in The Globe and Mail. My sincere sympathy to you and your family.
What a wonderful colleague George was and what a great deal he gave to the Art Department at McMaster and to the university of McMaster. I will remember him as one of those very special people that I met during my years at McMaster. He was always so willing to share his vast knowledge of studio techniques and I will never forget the time he gave up to “teach” me the basic differences between engravings and mezzotints.
We spent many hours together dscussing art history and, in particular, our special shared interest in the prints of William Hogarth. It was largely beacuse of him that I left the bulk of my collection of early Hogarth prints to the McMaster Museum of Art..
McMaster was very fortunate to have him as one of its staff.
Sincerely Paul Fritz

Dear Margaret,

I was so saddened to read of George’s passing.

I will remember tours of his studio on Huntington Street thinking what a wonderful creative life you two enjoyed, he in his studio, you in the garden. I hope that the memories of such a full life comfort you during this difficult time.

My sincere condolences.

Kenna Barradell

Kenna

My condolences, Mark and your family.

Francis Lemieux

This comes with my prayers and heartfelt sympathy. All of you were a great part of my childhood in Dundas and tons of good memories came flooding in when I heard the news today. I especially remember his “Lazarus”, which is embedded in my memory and inextricably connected to my reading and reading of Saint John’s gospel. I remember the smell of his welding in the shops at 18 Main and 209 Governor’s Road – and i will always think of him with his welding goggles up on his forehead as he paused in his work to speak to you with his penetrating eyes. Please call me sometime. God bless you. your friend, always, Peter

I will never be able to put a value on what I learned as an extramural art student at McMaster. Although Mr. Wallace sparked my interest in Art HIstory, he also broadened my understanding of the creative process while taking the three “studio” courses in his department in the mid sixties. His fine art background always surfaced when he was confronted by art pieces by craftsmen even of national stature. He did not pull any of his punches. While I only experienced his wit and wisdom for a few years, his family will have had a far greater experience to remember.

I am sorry to read of his decline in the last two years.