Jack Reid

Jack Reid was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1925 and was a self-taught Canadian watercolor artist who gained prominence despite having only a grade 7 education. He began his career as a graphic artist before making the transition to becoming a full-time painter in 1970 at the age of 45. His studio was located in Brampton, Ontario, alongside the Credit River, where he lived until 2006 before moving to Orillia, where he spent the final three years of his life.

Reid was not only an accomplished artist but also a dedicated educator who began teaching workshops and demonstrations in 1971. Throughout his career, he taught over 11,000 students in his watercolor workshops and through international tours. He shared his expertise through three published books: "Watercolour Basics: Let's Get Started" (1998), "Painting Snow and Water" (2000), and "Watercolour for the Fun of It: Easy Landscapes" (2004). His instructional content also included a CD-ROM and a mini-series of painting demonstrations called "Watercolour My Way," which was broadcast on Rogers Cable and released on home video.

Throughout his six-decade career, Reid received numerous honors and recognitions. In 1992, he was awarded the Commemorative Medal by the Canadian government for his contributions to Canadian art, and in 1990, he was named Arts Person of the Year in his hometown of Brampton. He exhibited in London, England with the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and was a lifetime member of The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, Visual Arts Brampton, and the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour. His paintings are held in major corporate collections and in the personal collection of Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.

Following the death of his wife Maggie in 2002 after 33 years of marriage, Reid spent his final years with his companion Pat. He passed away on August 24, 2009, in Orillia, Ontario, at the age of 84. In 2014, Reid was posthumously honored with a star on Brampton's Walk of Fame, which was received by his nephew Robert McAffee.