The Regina Group of Five

Valerie: This is a painting by Ken Lochhead Who is he?

Shawne MacIntyre: Ken Lochhead currently based in Ottawa, he is a painter, he’s quite an important painter. He has not only received the Order of Canada but he is one of the founding members of the Regina Five.

Valerie: Now who is… I’ve never heard of the Regina Five.

Shawne MacIntyre: The Regina Five are a group of five painters. They include Ted Godwin, Douglas Morton, Arthur McKay, Ronald Bloore and of course Ken Lochhead. And they’re a group who were formed in the 50s, 60s and became quite important to the development of abstract painting, not only in Canada, but in art development in the Prairies.

Valerie: And what’s the style, so it became more abstract.

Shawne MacIntyre: Yes, exactly.

Valerie: And comparing to which everybody knows about, obviously, the Group of Seven or even other famous groups of painters like the Beaver Hall Hill Group in Montreal, where do the Regina Five fit into that?

Shawne MacIntyre: Well, they’re not as well known as the Group of Seven, of course, who were quite dominating in the Canadian Art industry. This particular pastel on paper is valued at auction at about $1500 to $2000 so certainly not the levels of the Group of Seven, but they’re a very important group of painters and they certainly can hold their own.

Valerie: And based out of Regina or that’s just where it started so that’s why it has that name?

Shawne MacIntyre: Yes, actually they’re painters from abroad but who came together in Regina. The name Regina Five, actually, developed out of an exhibition at the National Gallery in 1961 called “Five Painters from Regina” and so the name just stuck and that’s the name they use today. Also, the Regina Five are important, Ken Lochhead in particular, for initiating what’s called the Emma Lake Workshops. And these workshops were two week long workshops and developed with the idea to bring in artistic talent from outside of Canada, outside of the region, to stimulate artistic creativity and activity in the Prairies. For example, some of the workshop speakers were Jack Shadbolt, Kenneth Nowland and the very important art critic Clement Greenberg from the U.S. And so these were the kind of people who were coming to participate in the workshops and this really took root and stimulated the Regina Five and other artists.

Valerie: So this is great this walked in the door today.

Shawne MacIntyre: It’s fabulous! We’re really happy to have it.

Valerie: Good luck! Thank you.

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