William Kurelek

A Canadian painter. Born in 1927 in Whitford, Alberta Canada, the eldest of 7 children: Bill, John, Winn, Nancy, Sandy, Paul, Iris.

William studied at the Ontario College of Art and the Instituto Allende in Mexico. By his mid-20's he had moved to England to live. He suffered clinical depression and schizophrenia and was treated for both conditions in hospitals in England. He became a member of the Order of Canada in 1976 by which time he had written and illustrated many children's books. He continued painting until his death at age 50, when he was living back in Toronto.

I was fortunate enough to find this copy of one of his most celebrated books: a prairie boy's winter and summer (1976, Tundra Books) in the pile of 20 cent titles for sale at the Whitehorse library.

William Pettigrew made this film about him in 1967.