Visual Arts Brampton fondly remembers Jack Reid, an honourary member of the group, and for many years a Brampton-resident. In a career spanning over six decades, Jack became a very recognizable figure in Canada's art world, a favourite watercolourist for many.

A member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour (CSPWC), Jack may best be remembered for his love of sharing his passion. Locally, across the country, and abroad, in the pages of books and magazines, and on television, Jack Reid taught watercolour to countless thousands. At one point, he tallied over 11,000 students since 1971.

His passion for the renowned techniques he teaches was known to be infectious and invigorating.

Jack Reid started out as a graphic artist, and with no formal training, plunged full-time into a new career of painting. Knowing only what he taught himself, Jack painted what he felt, to great success. Along with numerous homes, galleries, and corporate collections, his work is part of the collection of Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1992, he was awarded the Commemorative Medal by the federal Government for his contribution to Canadian Art and was honoured to be Arts Person of the Year in Brampton. He has exhibited in London, England with the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours; he was a life-time member of Arts and Letters Club of Toronto and CSPWC. Jack was Visual Arts Brampton’s first invitational exhibit, at Artway Shoppers World; running from January 7th to 28th, 2005, Jack Reid and Friends also featured four of his favourite students.

Jack authored three books, Watercolour Basics: Let’s Get Started (1998), Painting Snow and Water (2000), and Watercolour for the Fun of It: Easy Landscapes (2004), and had an instructional CD-ROM. A mini-series of painting demos, Watercolour My Way, was broadcast on Rogers TV, and released on home video. Jack was featured in Watercolor Magic magazine in 2001.

Where to purchase his work

As far as Visual Arts Brampton knows, the only galleries that represented Jack as of 2008 were:

• Ethel Curry Gallery, Haliburton, Ontario; has some works as of December 2010
• Mountain Galleries at the Fairmount, Jasper, Alberta; has some works as of December 2010

At one point Mayberry Fine Art (Winnipeg, Manitoba) sold his work, but they do not list him on their website currently. As for reproductions, we're not terribly sure which

Further reading

• "Dedication to Jack H. Reid", website of artist Robert McAfee, the artist's nephew
• "Jack Reid left his mark on Orillia", Orillia Packet & Times (link not working)
• "Arts community revered Reid", The Sarnia Observer (link not working)