Our First Collection: Artist AG ‘Tony’ Chelsom

(1939-2017)

Acclaimed wildlife artist, animal lover, naturalist and teacher.

Each painting ‘should demonstrate what the park is really all about. It is important to promote both realism and the spirit of the images,’ Tony said, June 1987.

The first phase of his National Parks of Canada Centennial Collection was being used to kick off Environment Week in Canada. (National Museum of Natural Sciences in Ottawa.) 1987 was also designated as the Year of Wildlife Conservation to mark the 100^th year anniversary of Canada’s official conservation efforts.

Mr. Chelsom (as he was known to his students) was commissioned to create painting representing many of Canada’s National Park, each requiring in-person visits to research, study the animals, and understand the nature. The paintings combine park landscape and background, with an animal that would become a wildlife emblem for the park.

‘I sometimes wish more people could experience this - being exposed to the National Parks. It really makes you more aware and perhaps, proud of Canada as a whole’, Tony Chelsom said at the time.

His most famous painting (previous to the National Parks Centennial Collection) was ‘Overflight’; a gift to His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, July 4, 1987. ‘Overflight’ portrayed the battle of two Canadian Geese fighting to land and rejoin their flock during a snowstorm over the Arctic landscape.

Mr. Chelsom was commissioned by the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Committee to present this gift at a gala fundraising dinner for 800 at the prestigious Royal York Hotel, Toronto, July 4, 1983. ‘A particularly appropriate gift’, Tony said because The Duke of Edinburgh was also the Chairman of the World Wildlife Foundation.

Overflight is indeed ‘majestic in scope and detail’. The original grew to be three and a half feet by five and feet in size. ‘It just grew. I wanted a sweeping panoramic effect, but didn’t want to cut out any of the two main figures either’, Tony said.

Overflight portrays a near mid-air collision from a close-up. It’s as if you are merely a few feet away from the two geese demonstrating evasive maneuvers. The lead goose suddenly banks to its right after spotting its flock, causing the second goose to break its flight direction with rapid wing movement to avoid collision.
There’s an Overflight Two. It’s the same scene but from the ground perspective, from the point of view of its flock looking up to see two of its family nearly flying past in the storm.

Both were available in limited edition prints (They are not 3.5 feet by 5.5 feet. They are more reasonably sized at 33.5 inches by 24 inches, including a 2 inch border for your matting).  A collection has been found after he passed.

The remaining Overflight, Overflight Two, Hope, Hope Two and Nightwatch prints are available through Who You Art.