Tribute

Edward was born in Altona, Manitoba, June 7, 1943.  In 1958, the family moved to Aldergrove, B.C.

Edward found art came to him naturally and from High School on, art became his passion.  He graduated with top honours from Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr).  While there he produced some commissioned metal sculptures.  He continued his studies in Florence, Italy, where he had a showing of his bronze sculptures.

He travelled throughout Europe and the Middle East living in Jerusalem twice and always drawing, sketching, & painting.  He lived with the Bedouin nomads in the Sinai Desert, worked at archeological sites, and met so many interesting people.

As a result of his travels, Edward learned many languages and was fluent in Spanish and Italian.

Between travels to Mexico, he came back to the Fraser Valley and worked as an art teacher at Fraser Valley College in Abbotsford.  He also worked in set design for the movie industry.

Edward also worked at New World Jade in Vancouver, producing many beautiful jade sculptures.  Three of Edward’s jade sculptures were purchased by the Museum of    Natural Sciences in Ottawa.

He learned to play guitar as a teenager and took his guitar everywhere he went in the world.  He also built his own classical guitar.  He played with a Greek band and also another local band playing at weddings, care homes, churches, and other events.

From his many trips to Mexico, Edward was fluent in Spanish.  He happened to arrive in Mexico City the night before the 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck in September 1985.  He survived and promised to stay and help.  Edward joined a group of Mexican men known as ‘Los Topos” (the Moles) and they dug through rubble and collapsed buildings to find survivors and victims.  All members of of ‘Los Topos” including Edward were presented with a certificate and medal of Honour from the President of Mexico for their heroism and work.

He stayed in Mexico teaching English and returned home to Abbotsford in 1989 when his father had a stroke.  He cared for his parents until his parents passed away in 1990 and 1995.  He continued playing guitar and joined a men’s Barber Shop Choir and enjoyed growing dahlias, grapes and fruit trees.  In 2005, Edward was asked to assist Father Dunsten at the Abbey in Mission B.C. to complete a Fresco painting the Father was painting on the dining room wall of the Abbey.  Edward had learned about Fresco painting in Mexico and was thrilled to help.  They worked side by side until completion in November, 2005.  The Knowledge Network filmed their work and documentary is still available for viewing in their archives.

Always learning , Edward took courses at the local college, learning new techniques to further his art.

A life well lived !