John Esler

John Kenneth Esler was a prominent Canadian printmaker, painter, and educator who played a significant role in the development of printmaking in Western Canada. Born in Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Esler received his formal artistic training at the University of Manitoba’s School of Art. He studied under Robert Bruce and George Swinton and graduated in 1960. He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Education from the same university in 1962. Following a period of travel in Europe, he moved to Alberta where he began a long-standing career as an influential instructor and practitioner.

In 1964, Esler accepted a teaching position at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. He later joined the faculty of the University of Calgary in 1968. He specialized in intaglio printmaking and remained at the university until his retirement in the 1980s. Throughout his academic career, he was instrumental in expanding the printmaking departments at both institutions. He also co-founded Trojan Press alongside artist Ken Webb to provide a vital resource for local printmakers to develop their craft. His leadership extended to national organizations as he served as the first Chairman of the Print and Drawing Council of Canada.

Esler’s artistic practice was characterized by an experimental and often irreverent approach to the medium. He was known for incorporating found objects and unconventional materials into his prints, including flattened foil pie plates, corrugated cardboard, and discarded machinery. His celebrated series, Relics of the Twentieth Century, involved running refuse such as squashed lunchboxes or television chassis through the press to create relief prints. This method reflected a Dadaist sensibility and a commitment to exploring the technical and theoretical boundaries of the discipline.

His contributions to Canadian art were recognized through numerous prestigious awards. These included the C.W. Jefferys Award from the Canadian Society of Graphic Arts and the G.A. Reid Memorial Award from the Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers. He was also elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. Esler exhibited extensively throughout Canada and internationally. His work appeared in exhibitions in the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Chile.

The work of John Kenneth Esler is represented in major public institutions across Canada and abroad. His prints and paintings are held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Ontario. International holdings include the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.