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Item Name: Drawing
Title: Sunflower
Maker: McGregor Hone
Year: 1953
Country: Canadian
Materials: linocut on paper
Measurements: overall: 49.7 cm x 18 cm
ID Number: PC83.1.23
Legal Status: PERMANENT COLLECTION


Extended Label Info: Though McGregor Hone worked in watercolour, oils, sculpture and ceramics, he is best known for his printmaking including serigraphs, woodcuts and wood engravings. In this image, McGregor Hone’s use of line and shape emphasizes the size and strength of the sunflower, a familiar garden plant. To create this work, the artist used a form of printmaking known as “linocut”. First, a shallow relief is carved into the linoleum printing block. Then ink is rolled onto the carving with a brayer. Finally, the block is pressed onto paper or fabric to transfer the ink from the block to the print. The finished artwork is the mirror image of the original carving. The advantage to printmaking is that once the initial work is done, the artist can use the printing block to make many copies. Each is then signed by the artist, and numbered. Hone often depicted subjects from his immediate surroundings including animals, nature, and life on the prairies. He often imbued his subjects with a sense of joy and a robust playful character, thus expressing his deep appreciation for the Saskatchewan community. McGregor Hone (1920 – 2007) Born in Prince Albert, Hone studied at the University of Saskatchewan, earning his Bachelor of Arts and Certificate in Education in 1941. As part of the Saskatoon Arts Association, Hone took part in workshops at Emma Lake. During WW II, Hone worked in Vancouver as a welder at a shipyard. Marrying fellow artist (Mary Elizabeth) "Beth" Springer in 1944, Hone taught school in Copper Mountain, BC. In 1947 the Hones returned to Saskatchewan, and Mac began teaching art at Regina’s Central Collegiate. From 1957 – 59, Hone brought his family to London, and studied at the Central School of Arts & Crafts. Returning to Canada, Hone worked with Lloyd Blackman and Jack Williams to start Regina's first fine arts high school program at Central Collegiate. Hone was also involved in other organizations in his community, including the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation, the Regina Community Clinic, and Regina's Unitarian Fellowship. After Hone's retirement in 1979, he and Beth moved to Lumsden, where they both continued to be active in their art and in the community. His artwork has been exhibited widely and is held in numerous public and private collections.