Daniel Izzard (May 19, 1923 - June 6, 2007) Daniel J. Izzard, one of Canada’s most renowned Impressionist painters passed away after complications from a fall at a dance ball, on June 6, 2007 in Vancouver, B.C. He died peacefully surrounded by his wife and constant companion Pilar and his devoted family. Several celebrations of his life will be slated for later dates. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Daniel's memory to the charity of your choice. Daniel Izzard receives the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Canadian Artists
Born in England in 1923, he is a self-taught Artist. An impressionist in oils, Izzárd works boldly, loosely and generously with both paint and feeling. But now as he said, “in my old age I am painting much slower and producing more careful renditions,” as an example his famous Ballerinas series. He has been called the last of the true impressionists. This widely-traveled W.W II ex-Royal Navy veteran finds inspiration everywhere, but nowhere more happily than in the beauty of British Columbia. He has made West Vancouver home for the last 41 years when in 1987 the Mayor and Council recognized with its 75 Anniversary award as one its outstanding achievers, in the past 75 years. The Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA) was established in 1941 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and professional development of artists, raising the artists' standards by stimulating participants to greater heights of achievement. FCA opened the first completely artist-sponsored gallery-workshop-studio in Canada, which is now recognized and respected from Coast to Coast. 2006 is a very special year for Daniel Izzard In 1986, Daniel Izzard became the oldest heart transplant recipient in Canada, following a successful operation in Ontario. In the Twenty years that followed his art has reflected this new lease on life; vibrant paintings where light is more brilliantly represented than before; the happy colours of life itself and a number of new subjects and themes. During 2006 many of Daniel Izzard's paintings will be displayed at a semi-permanent exhibit at Travel Time International located at 2405 Marine Drive in West Vancouver. We invite you to visit often, as the paintings will rotate quite regularly. Also watch this space for other exhibitions and special events and celebrations that will take place during 2006. Award winning painting painting has a local setting
"Les Debutantes in Waiting" depicts young ballerinas from the Anna Wyman School of Dance Arts in West Vancouver waiting in the wings of The Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver. In addition, the painting will be reproduced in a book called "How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint People and Figures." Semi-permanent Exhihibt
"Keep drawing, keep drawing, and do not be hurt by rejection; it is part of the life of an artist," says the West Van resident, whose art has taken him to many countries, accumulated numerous award and recognitions, television and radio appearances, and given him the opportunity to participate in charitable work. For a time, however, Izzard's life took a couple of turns - when he was in the Royal Navy, and later when he first came to Canada and worked as an accountant, purchasing agent and then general manager with a major resource company. A self-taught artist, Izzard started drawing and painting at a very tender age and has never stopped. He has painted professionally for 45 years, and full time for the past 34 years, having had 62 solo exhibitions over the last 46 years. "I am an Impressionist in the sense that I am too impatient and emotional for carefully planned formula renditions. I respond intuitively, and I am interested in strong essentials, which for me are: perspective, colour, spontaneity, passion, power, and poetry," says Izzard. One special milestone in Izzard's life was in January, 1986, when he became the oldest heart-transplant recipient in Canada following his operation at the University Hospital in London, Ontario. One year stands out in Izzard's painting career. That year is 1953, when he was asked to have a one-man exhibition at the Eaton's Fine Art Gallery in Toronto. Smiling, he says "Then I knew I was on my way." There have been many milestones in Izzard's art career since then. One of them was the commission of a large oil on canvas - Mountain Mists, Whistler - which was presented by the Canadian government to Queen Elizabeth to commemorate her visit to Ottawa on Proclamation Day, April 17, 1982. Another of his paintings - an oil on canvas of the Potala Palace in Llasa, Tibet - was exhibited as part of the world celebrations to honour the Dalai Lama's 50th birthday. Izzard has travelled to a different country each year and exhibited artworks that were painted on-site, of subjects, portraits, and scenes pertaining to whatever country he was in at the time. His most recent travel destinations include Singapore, Malaysia, Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, India, Israel and Greece. He has travelled alone by canoe on painting trips to remote areas of Canada and has searched out material in Europe, Asia, Latin America and North Africa. Izzard was born in London, England on May 19, 1923. He was one of five siblings. Izzard served in the Royal Navy from 1942 to 1947. He was the art editor for HMS Vanguard Magazine during the British royal family's tour of South Africa in 1947. During that tour, Izzard, who is a baritone, sang with the HMS Vanguard's choral group for the royal family. The concert was broadcast from ship to shore. Izzard came to Canada in 1952 going to Quebec and on to Toronto, where he worked as an accountant and then a purchasing agent with Standard Chemical, owned by Dominion Tar & Chemical out of Montreal. Later, he became the general manager for Canada with Refinery Engineering, owned by the Vitro Corp. of America. The company was expanding and wanted Izzard to move to Calgary, but he did not wish to live there, so he resigned in 1960. Izzard remained in Toronto, became a full-time artist and started his own art business, which he still has. During 1951 and all through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s Izzard held solo exhibitions in Northern Ireland, across Canada and the United States, Spain and Mexico. Through the '80s Izzard also had paintings in joint exhibitions throughout the Vancouver area and in Ottawa. Izzard was elected lettered status and to the board of governors of the Federation of Canadian Artists in 1979. He received in 1993 a commemorative medal for the 125th anniversary of the Confederation of Canada. In 2000, he was the recipient of the FANS Award, presented by the North Vancouver Arts and Culture Commission in recognition of outstanding achievements in the arts. Izzard's charitable endeavours include serving as the honorary chairman of the B.C. and Yukon Heart and Stroke Foundation and of the B.C. SPCA. He has also participated in charitable work for the MS Association, United Way, Coho Festival, and was a leading force in the fight to preserve the Old Growth forests of British Columbia. All through the years - from the mid-'60s to mid-'80s - Izzard appeared on various well-known television shows and radio stations with popular and big-name media personalities. Izzard is very creative at working in wood and derives great pleasure and peace of mind from his painting and designing creations in wood. He has extraordinarily captured his own inner peace and happiness through the expression of the eyes and faces in the portraits he has painted of the various members of his family. Izzard and his wife, Pilar - the Consul of Bolivia and general manager of Izzard Fine Arts Inc. - love the ambience, casualness and friendliness of West Van, and the spectacular scenery of the entire North Shore. They have an extended family, still growing, and living fairly close to them, so there are always lots of family gatherings. Izzard's son, Daniel Paul, is also an artist and lives in Toronto. Izzard is content with his life, and hopes to continue with his painting and his art business for several years. "I will never stop drawing and painting as long as there's life," smiles Izzard, the master Impressionist. |
On Sunday March 26, 2006 Daniel J. Izzárd, a senior lettered 
