Gerard Brender

Gerard Brender à Brandis is a Dutch-Canadian wood engraver, printmaker, and book artist who was born in Holland and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1947. After living in various locations including Terrace, British Columbia and Antigonish, Nova Scotia, he eventually settled in Ontario, where he received his BA in Fine Arts from McMaster University in 1965.

Brender à Brandis was introduced to wood engraving in 1964 by his professor, George Wallace, and immediately decided to pursue it as his artistic calling. Shortly after, he was mentored by established wood engraver Rosemary Kilbourn. His meticulous process begins with sketches drawn from life (he works without a camera), followed by multiple redraws before transferring the design to boxwood blocks. He is known for his exceptional technical skill and attention to detail, particularly in his botanical illustrations, interior studies, and landscapes.

In 1969, Brender à Brandis established the Branstead Press in Carlisle, Ontario, where he lived until moving to Stratford in 1991. Beyond wood engraving, he mastered multiple book arts including typesetting, letterpress printing, papermaking, and weaving linen for book covers. His creative approach emphasizes traditional craftsmanship and self-sufficiency in all aspects of book production.

Throughout his career, Brender à Brandis has published over forty books, many entirely handmade. He has collaborated with numerous authors, including Canadian writer Timothy Findley and his own sister, Marianne à Brandis. His publications include "Wood, Ink and Paper" (1980), "Portraits of Flowers" (1995), "A Wood Engraver's Alphabet" (2008), and "A Gathering of Flowers from Shakespeare" (1997).

Brender à Brandis' work is held in numerous prestigious collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario Library, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, the Missouri Botanic Garden, the Arnold Arboretum, and the Hunt Botanical Library. A member of the Wood Engravers' Network, he maintained an open studio in his heritage house in Stratford until 2019, while continuing his artistic practice. His work is characterized by its delicate precision, thoughtful composition, and intimate connection to nature and tradition.