BIOGRAPHY

ONE of Canada’s leading contemporary artists, Charles Pachter is a painter, printmaker, sculptor, designer, historian, and lecturer.

Born in Toronto in 1942, he studied art history at the University of Toronto, French literature at the Sorbonne, and painting and graphics at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.

His work has been exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the McMichael Gallery. He is represented in public and private collections throughout Canada, and internationally. He has held solo exhibitions in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, India, and Bangladesh.

He worked at Expo 67 in Montreal supervising the installation of 60 contemporary sculptures from around the world. He taught printmaking at the University of Calgary in 1969-70. He spearheaded Toronto’s Queen Street West revival in the 1970s and 80s by restoring 20 old buildings into facilities for arts usage.

He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Chevalier of France’s Order of Arts and Letters, a member of the Order of Ontario, and holds honorary doctorates from Brock University, OCAD University, the University of Toronto, and Lakehead University.  He is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals.

His images of the queen, moose, and maple leaf flag are icons of Canadian contemporary art. McClelland & Stewart publications include an illustrated book on his life and work authored by Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov. His murals of Hockey Knights in Canada can be seen in Toronto’s College Subway Station.

Mr. Pachter lives and works in downtown Toronto in an award-winning studio designed by Canadian architect Stephen Teeple. His work is on permanent display in his adjoining Moose Factory Gallery. From 2004-2014 in summer he painted in The ICE HOUSE, a waterfront studio converted from a 1920s ice storage depot on Lake Simcoe. His works are also displayed in MOFO – Moose Factory of Orillia- a former car repair garage he renovated in the heart of the historic Ontario hometown of Steven Leacock, Elizabeth Wyn Wood, Franklin Carmichael, and Gordon Lightfoot.

His paintings are in the Portrait Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, Canada House in London, the Parliament Buildings, the Prime Minister’s residence, and the Embassy of France in Ottawa. His solo exhibition on “The Loyalist Legacy and the Creation of Modern English Canada” was installed in the Charterhouse in London, Aug-Sept 2016, and a retrospective, “Quintessential Canadian”, was held at the Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka, Feb 2018.

Pachter’s steel and granite moose sculptures have been installed across Canada.

His best-selling children’s books, M is for Moose, and Canada Counts, and The Illustrated Journals of Susanna Moodie, his celebrated collaboration with poet Margaret Atwood, are published by Cormorant Books, Toronto.

Leonard Wise’s biography “CHARLES PACHTER: Canada’s Artist” was published by Dundurn Press in 2-17

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EDUCATION AND HONOURS

Diplômé de l’ESPPPFE, Sorbonne, Paris, 1963

Honours BA, Fine Art , University of Toronto, 1964

MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan, 1966

Honorary Doctorate, Brock University, St. Catharines, 1996

Member, Order of Canada 1999

Officer, Order of Canada, 2012

Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters, France, 2001

Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal 2002

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012

Honorary Doctorate, Ontario College of Art & Design University, 2009

Honorary Doctorate, University of Toronto, 2010

Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto 2011

Recipient of the Order of Ontario, 2015

Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, 2017

Honorary Doctorate, Lakehead University, 2019

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

LEST WE FORGET
Paintings commemorating the World War One Armistice
Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg Ont, Sept-Nov 2018
Art Gallery of Guelph Nov 2020-Jan 2021

PORTRAIT OF A NATION, Charles Pachter Survey Exhibition,
Midland Cultural Centre , Midland Ont June-Aug 2018

QUINTESSENTIAL CANADIAN
Retrospective, Bangladesh National Museum, Dhaka Feb 2018

OF MOOSE AND MONARCHS
Retrospective, Art Gallery of Peterborough
Jul 8 -Sept 24, 2017

Charles Pachter: THE CRANBROOK YEARS
Atwood-Pachter handmade books 1964-1966
May 20 – October 1, 2017 • Art Gallery of Windsor

WHAT MAKES THIS COUNTRY TICK,
PAMA- Peel Art Museum & Archives, Brampton ON
Apr 1-June 11 2017

ICONIC MOMENTS
The Charterhouse, London UK Aug-Sept 2016

Alliance Française, Toronto, Sept-Oct 2015

The Spoke Club, Toronto April-May 2015

Michael Gibson Gallery, London Ontario, Dec 2014

Oeno Gallery, Prince Edward County, Ontario Oct 2014

LEST WE FORGET 16 paintings commemorating the First World War
Lieutenant-Governor’s Suite, Queen’s Park, Toronto June 2014 – Aug 2015

THE ART OF WAR:DRESSED TO KILL, Fort York National Historic SIte, Toronto 2013-14

POP GOES CANADIANA – ICONIC ART BY CHARLES PACHTER
Enterprise Square Galleries, University of Alberta, Edmonton Nov 1-30 2013

LANDMARKS – ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY July –Aug 2013

A-R-T, The Art of Charles Pachter Art Gallery of Sudbury, Apr-June 2013

1812:THE ART OF WAR, Moose Factory Gallery, Toronto, May – Oct 2012

SELECTED WORKS, Train Station Gallery, Brantford ON Sep 8-31, 2012

MONARCHS OF THE NORTH, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Collingwood ON, June 9-23, 2012

THE PACHTER FACTOR, The Art Space, Huntsville ON July 2011

MOUNTAIN GALLERIES, Whistler BC, Feb 2010

LUMINATO, Toronto Roots & Four Seasons Hotel, June -Aug 2010

COLDWATER GALLERY, Coldwater, Ontario Sep-Oct 2009

THE JOURNALS OF SUSANNA MOODIE, poems of Margaret Atwood illustrated by Charles Pachter, McMichael Canadian Collection, July-Oct 2009

MYTHOLOGIES, Paintings 1964-2008, Elmwood Spa, May5-June 7, 2009

CHARLES PACHTER’S CANADA (II), Royal Ontario Museum, Oct 07-Feb 08

DUCKS REDUX, The Ice House, Lake Simcoe, Ont. summer 2007

GLIMPSES OF INDIA, Canadian High Commission, Delhi Jan 07

DES REGARDS SUR L’INDE, Alliance Française de Delhi, Jan 07

REGARDING THE LAKE Orillia Museum of Art & History, Jun 29-Sep 4 06

SELECTED WORKS, Pachter Hall, Toronto Nov-Dec 05

SELECTED WORKS The Spoke Club, Toronto, Sep 5 – 26 05

CANADIAN ICONS: Maggie’s Gallery, London ONT, Oct 26 04 – Mar 12 05

CHARLES PACHTER Retrospective, SPIN GALLERY, Toronto May-June 04

L’ETRE AU MONDE, Centre d’art de Baie St Paul, Qc Sep-Nov 01

“MIND’S EYE”, Canadian Embassy, Tokyo, April-June, 2001

TEDCity Conference, St Lawrence Centre,Toronto June 2000

GRAPHIC WORKS, Design Exchange, Toronto Feb-Aug 2000

“Charles Pachter Portraits”, Univ. of Toronto Art Centre June 98-Apr 99

“The Barns Exhibit”, Moose Factory, Toronto Dec 97-Nov 98

“La Transhumance”, Alliance Française,Toronto Sept-Oct 96

“In Pachter’s Orbit”, CN Tower, Toronto, June-Oct 95 “

Pachter West”, Barton-Leier Gallery, Victoria BC, Nov 94

“Pachter’s People”, Movenpick Gallery, Toronto May-July 94

“Charles Pachter’s Canada”, Royal Ontario Museum Feb -Sept 94

“Licht im Schatten” Haus an der Redoute Retrospective, Bonn, Germany 92

Stichill Smithy Gallery, Kelso, Scotland 91

“La Lumière Ombre” , Centre d’Art Présence Van Gogh, St Rémy de Provence, France Oct 91-Feb 92

Inniskillin Loft Gallery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario 91

The Summit, Canada Trust, Toronto 91

Castle Hill, Toronto 90

La Citadelle, Montreal 88

Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, Toronto 87

Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax 87

Alliance Française Inaugural Exhibition , Toronto 87

Gallery Moos, Toronto 86

Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary 86

“Regarding the Flag”, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto 85

“Waterworks”, Queen’s Quay Terminal, Toronto 84

Ontario House, London, U.K. 84

Gallery Brand, Oakville 84

St. Lawrence Centre, Toronto 84

“The Journals of Susanna Moodie” , Art Gallery of Ontario 84

Mövenpick Gallery, Toronto 84

Harbourfront Gallery, Toronto 82

Tom Thomson Gallery, Owen Sound 82

“The Painted Flag” IGA Gallery, Toronto 81

PORTRAITS Lynwood Art Gallery, Simcoe 81

Ring Gallery, Toronto 80

“Figures in a Landscape”, Soho Loft Gallery, Toronto 79

St. Lawrence College, Kingston 76

Artery, Artists Alliance, Toronto 75

“Monarchs of the North”, University of Ottawa 75

University of Toronto 75

McMaster University, Hamilton 74

York University, Toronto 74

Algonquin College, Ottawa 73

The Other Shaw Festival, Toronto 73

“Streetcars” , The Isaacs Gallery, Toronto 72

Canadian Art Galleries, Calgary 70

Trent University, Peterborough 69

McGill University, Montreal 68

Gallery Pascal, Toronto 68 & 70

Victoria University, Toronto 68

The Pollock Gallery, Toronto 64

Selected PUBLIC & CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

Algonquin College, Ottawa

Art Gallery of Hamilton

Art Gallery of Peterborough

Art Gallery of Ontario

Art Gallery of Windsor

Atkinson McLeod, Toronto

Barometer Capital Management, Toronto

Beaverbrook Gallery, Fredericton NB

Bristol Myers Limited, Toronto

Canada Department of External Affairs, Ottawa

Canada House, London

Canada Pension Plan Offices, London UK

Catalyst Capital

Canada Permanent Trust

Canadian Embassy, Washington

Canadian Embassy, Berlin

Canadian High Commission, London

Canadiana Fund, Ottawa

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Canadian Music Centre, Toronto

Centre d’Art Présence Van Gogh, St. Rémy de Provence, France

Citicorp Limited, Toronto

City of Boston

City of Toronto

Claridge Collection, Montreal

The Clarkson Company

The Co-Operators Insurance Group

Coca-Cola Canada

Concordia University, Montreal

Connor-Clark Investments,Toronto

Counsel Trust, Toronto

Credit Suisse Canada

A.J. Diamond Associates Architects, Toronto

Davies Ward Phillips Vineberg, Toronto

Dominion Securities Pitfield, Toronto

Encana Corporation, Calgary

Epitome Pictures, Toronto

Goodman and Goodman, Toronto

Gordon Capital Corporation, Toronto

Granite Club, Toronto

Harvard University

Hudson’s Bay Company

Hiram Walker Brands Limited, Toronto

Hudson’s Bay Company, Toronto

Imperial Life Assurance Company of Canada

Kinderdine Art Gallery, Saskatoon

Laurentian University, Sudbury

Maclean-Hunter, Toronto

Manulife Financial, Toronto

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Toronto

Massey College, University of Toronto

McGill University, Montreal

McMichael Collection of Canadian Art, Kleinburg

McMillan Binch, Toronto

Memorial University, St. John’s

Metropolitan Toronto Library

Mohawk College

Mount Allison University, N.B.

Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto

Musée d’art contemporain, Montreal

National Library, Ottawa

New Brunswick Museum, St. John

Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary

Olympia and York Developments, Toronto

Onex Corporation

Ontario College of Art & Design University

Panasonic of Canada, Toronto

Peel Art Museum & Archives, Brampton

Pforzheimer Library, New York

Portrait Gallery of Canada, Ottawa

Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa

The Rooms, St. John’s NL

Stratford Shakespearean Festival

Thomson Newspapers,

Toronto Dominion Bank

The Toronto Sun

Toronto Transit Commission

Toronto Western Hospital

Touche Associates, Calgary

Trent University, Peterborough

Unicorp Canada Corporation

Unicorp American Corporation

University of Alberta, Edmonton

University of British Columbia, Vancouver

University of Calgary

University of Lethbridge, Alberta

Thomas Fisher Library, University of Toronto

University of Western Ontario

Viking Air, Victoria, BC

The Washington Post

Westbury Life Insurance Company

Westwind Partners, Toronto & London

York University

Yorkton Securities, Toronto

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

FELLED TREES  Canada House, London  May-Sept 2017

FORM FOLLOWS FICTION, Art Museum of the University of Toronto, Sept-Nov 2016

THE SNOW SHOW Michael Gibson Gallery, London ON
Nov 30 2013 -Jan 10 2014

CINEMATIC, cinema-themed Graphics, Hyatt Regency, Toronto Sep-Dec 2012

STREETS ALIVE, Leacock Chair, Orillia ON June-Aug 2012

ROYAL PORTRAITS , Beaverbrook Museum, Fredericton NB, July-Oct 2011

Play>Nation, Design Exchange, Toronto, June -Oct 2011

The University College Collection, UofT Art Centre, Jan-Mar 2011

Janusz Dukszta Portraits, University of Toronto Art Centre, Oct-Dec 09

Canadian Icons, University of Toronto Art Centre, Oct-Dec 08

Arena: The Art of Hockey, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Apr-June 2008

Drawing Conclusions, McMichael Gallery, Kleinburg ON, Apr-Jun 08

Art of Nature, Green Living Show, Toronto April 07 -08

Miami International Art Fair Jan 99

Canadian Embassy, Washington (Hockey Knights in Canada) Nov 96-Feb 97

Italian Cultural Institute, Toronto (The Visitation) Feb-Mar 97

“The Simcoes and the Founding of Toronto”, Art Gallery of Ontario, July -Sept 93

Claridge Collection, 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Saidye Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Sept 92

Salon de Noël, Ville de Bollène, France 91

Art and The Games, Ontario Winter Games Invitational, Collingwood

Zen Buddhist Temple, Toronto Books by Artists, National Library, Ottawa 90

200th Anniversary Exhibition of the French Revolution,Alliance Francaise, Toronto 89

Living Impressions: Contemporary Canadian Graphics, Art Gallery of Hamilton

“Transinteractivity”, France-Canada Tele-video conference 88 “Interaction”,

Canadian Prints Touring Australia 85

Ontario Bicentennial Group Exhibition, Toronto

“Vestiges of Empire”, Camden Centre, London, U.K. 84

Sixth International Biennial of Humour and Satire in the Arts; Gabrovo, Bulgaria 83

Contemporary Handmade Books, National Gallery of Morocco, Rabat 82

“Post-Pop Realism”, The Winnipeg Perspective , Winnipeg Art Gallery

“Artists in Books”, National Library, Ottawa 81

“COLLINS/PACHTER/TINKL”, Art Gallery of Ontario 77

“Canadian Landscapes”,Department of External Affairs, Washington 75

GRAFF, Canadian Cultural Centre, Paris 72

International Print Biennale,Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo 72

Color Prints of the Americas, New Jersey State Museum 70

ESLER/PACHTER ESP, National Gallery of Canada 70

University of Calgary, Five Faculty 69

Canadian Society of Graphic Art 67 Canadian Society of Painters, Etchers and Engravers 66