West Vancouver Memorial Library
November 16, 2017 - January 9, 2018

The story of four Winnipeg-born brothers graduating from the Vancouver School of Art in the early 1950s to '60s and subsequently accomplishing successful careers in the visual arts and graphic design is extremely rare. Bill, Frank, David and Charles Mayrs all painted vigorously, with wildly diverse styles, making significant contributions to the development of art and design in Vancouver and beyond. Their exhibition history goes back many years: the 29th Annual Exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1960 included works by all of four brothers, alongside those of Michael Morris, Toni Onley, Charles H. Scott, Ronald Stonier and Glen Toppings, among others.

Bill Mayrs, the eldest brother, was a freelance publication designer, graphic artist, and art director who frequently exhibited his landscape, still-life, and abstract paintings in oils, watercolours, and tempera in commercial and public galleries in Vancouver and Winnipeg. Frank, a former exhibition designer for the federal government, who was involved in many international trade exhibitions, including Expo 86, painted lyrical and mystical abstract landscapes. David taught at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (now Emily Carr University of Art and Design) from 1964 to 1996, and has exhibited his work over the last 40 years. Charles, a graphic designer, illustrator, and cartoonist, led a highly successful career in advertising, but later focused on painting and publishing limited edition letterpress books.

Curated by Kiriko Watanabe, this exhibition brings together paintings and drawings by all four Mayrs brothers, and recognizes their unique and long-standing presence in the history of Canadian art. An offsite exhibition will be shown at the West Vancouver Memorial Library from November 16 to January 9, featuring graphic design work and limited edition art books, also produced by the Mayrs brothers.