Molly Bobak (1922 – 2014)

Born to an art collector and a naturalist, Molly Lamb Bobak had art and aesthetics in her blood. She studied at the Vancouver School of Art and in 1942, joined the Canadian Women's Army Corps. A one-of-a-kind soldier, she was appointed to the role of official war artist in 1945 – the only woman to date to fulfill that role. After the war, she and her husband established themselves as Canadian artists and art teachers of note, and their work took them to Ottawa, Vancouver and Paris. An inspiring teacher and mentor, Bobak became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1973. She received numerous awards, including several honorary degrees and was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada.

“You invent your own colour over the years and you invent your own space and your own feelings and that’s what makes painters different.”