Ann Alexandra Harbuz

Ann Harbuz (Napastiuk) (July 25, 1908 – April 29, 1989) was a Canadian artist. A self-taught artist, she is known for folk art painting depicting 20th-century Canadian Ukrainian prairie perspectives. She drew inspiration from her rural and Ukrainian origins in Western Canada, reflecting her very personal vision of the social life of her community, a vision which is a combination of memories, dreams and reality. While her art career began late in life, she produced more than 1000 paintings and painted objects.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Harbuz spent her childhood near Whitkow, Saskatchewan. Her parents were immigrants from Ukraine. She died in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, aged 80.

Career Harbuz did not start painting until the late 1960s, when she saw the artworks of her North Battleford neighbour, Mike Peryewizniak. Her works blur traditional distinctions between 'folk', 'vernacular', 'popular', and 'fine' art categories. Her artistic style shows little adherence to formal/technical considerations and focuses instead on content and subject matter.

She was commissioned to do a painting for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, which was presented a painting to Thomas Douglas. Her work is exhibited across Canada and collected in many collections including the Mendel Art Gallery (Saskatoon), The Saskatchewan Arts Board, and The Mackenzie Gallery (Regina).

Exhibitions Solo Exhibitions 1983 - Art Centre, North Battleford 1982 - Art Placement, Saskatoon Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge 1981 - Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatoon 1978 - Art Centre, North Battleford 1975 - Art Centre, North Battleford Group Exhibitions 1991 - Work, Weather and the Grid: Agriculture in Saskatchewan, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina 1988 - Prairie Folk Artists, Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina 1983 - Saskatchewan Naive/Folk Artists, Le Marchand Gallery, Edmonton // Seven Saskatchewan Folk Artists, Mendel Art Gallery (toured provincially) // From the Heart: Folk Art in Canada, National Museum of Man, Ottawa (toured nationally) 1982 - Prairie Folk Art, University of Saskatchewan Library, Saskatoon (organised for a Canadian Library Association conference) 1981 - Saskatchewan Images and Objects by Ann and Mike Harbuz, Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatoon 1980 - Canadian Folk Artists, Thomas Gallery, Winnipeg Rosemont Art Gallery, Regina & Susan Whitney Art Gallery, Regina 1979 - Ann Harbuz and Fred Moulding, Kesik Gallery, Regina // Ukrainian Themes: Four Folk Artists, Shoestring Gallery, Saskatoon (toured provincially) 1978 - Three Primitive Painters, Gallery One, Saskatoon & Don Callandar Gallery, Winnipeg // The Saskatchewan Arts Board Collections, Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina 1976 - Grassroots Saskatchewan, Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery, Regina (toured provincially) // The Grain Bin, Saskatchewan Art at the Olympics, Montreal (toured provincially) 1975 - Saskatchewan Primitives, Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon 1972 - Art Centre, North Battleford