Maxwell Bates (1906-1980)

Maxwell Bates was a Canadian painter, printmaker, architect and poet. Born in Calgary, Bates moved to England in 1931 in hopes of finding a receptive audience for his progressive style of painting. In order to support himself, Bates worked as a door to door vacuum cleaner salesperson while also exhibiting his work regularly at the Wertheim Gallery. Once World War II began, Max enlisted in the British Army and was captured, spending 5 years as a prisoner of war. Following his release, he returned to Calgary where he worked as an architect and continued to paint his boldly coloured, modernist depictions of street scenes, family life and rural living. Bates settled in Saanich, BC in 1961 where he remained until his death in 1980. Bates was awarded the Order of Canada for his war memoir, Wilderness of Days and his work is found in numerous public collections including the National Gallery of Canada.

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