Robert J. Bourke, engineer turned artist

Robert J. Bourke works on a painting that depicts himself with his granddaughter.

[My April 2010 column in the Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser]

Note: Forgive the formatting. The site isn't cooperating with my instructions.

Saturday morning art classes, encouragement from an uncle who was a commercial artist and a chance encounter with renowned Canadian painter, the late Ken Danby all contributed to an early interest in art for Pickering watercolour artist and photographer, Robert J. Bourke. But an entire career in engineering filled the time between those early years of youthful interest in art and his present pursuit of painting and fine art photography.

Born in North Bay, Ontario, “Bob” studied engineering, first at Laurentian University in Sudbury, then finishing up with a degree from the University of Ottawa in 1972. His first job was as a municipal engineer in Whitby and then he moved on to Ontario Hydro (now Ontario Power Generation), working at Darlington Nuclear plant and later at the Pickering location, as a supervisor of the technical team and contract coordinator -- while raising two sons with wife Catherine, a recent retiree after a 37-year career as a public health nurse.

Five years ago, finding himself in post-employment with time to fill, Bourke recalled his childhood exuberance for art and enrolled in various local painting classes. And discovered a penchant for making highly detailed paintings – mostly figures in landscape in small vignettes from life -- the reference pictures usually captured by his ever-handy camera. He joined regional arts groups and showed his paintings in their juried shows, as well as in a 2-person show with a fellow artist at the OPG visitor centre gallery space.

A much greater focus on photography has recently relegated painting, for the time being, to a secondary role, as Bourke haunts car shows, flea markets and the lakefront honing his skills at capturing the light and shadow, the colour and visual dynamics of the world around him. He is a member of the Oshawa Camera Club and invites the general public to see what they are up to at their annual Spring Salon, from May 5th to 7th, info at www.oshawacameraclub.ca See some terrific galleries of Robert’s photography online at www.pbase.com/bobjb/galleries And watch for examples of his paintings at Pickering City Hall, with other local artisans, in conjunction with the city’s Experience Art Program that runs between June 28th and August 6th.

Allan O’Marra is a professional artist living and working in Ajax. For contact information go to www.allanomarra.com