Alexander John Wyse b.1938

With a magical blend of humour, imagination, whimsy, impeccable craftsmanship, and an aesthetic that is at once sophisticated and folksy, Wyse has created an amazingly varied body of work over the past five decades. He works in any and all media that come to hand (painting, drawing, sculpting, assemblage, collage, carpentry) or that his curious mind requires for the eccentric and loveable creations he brings into being. His work has been shown in, and collected by, major public galleries across Canada. His last and much acclaimed retrospective was at the Ottawa Art Gallery in 2011.

This expanding sculpture/painting is typical of his work – amusing, original, beautifully made, and satisfying to look at. The subject, as with many he finds, comes from some obscure historical fact or incident, or an unlikely aspect of Canadian life that he has imagined. His sense of humour has some parallels with that of Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame, although Wyse's subjects are mostly gleaned from Canadian sources.