Shirley Walker (1933 - 2022)

Shirley Walker was a Canadian watercolourist from Burlington, Ontario, whose atmospheric landscapes captured the quiet beauty of the natural world. Primarily self-taught, she honed her technique through dedication and passion, supplemented by occasional workshops with renowned artist Jack Reid(1929-2009). Over the course of her career, Walker held nine solo exhibitions and earned recognition in both the Ontario Artist Index and the National Gallery of Canada’s artist listings.

Her works found their way into notable public and corporate collections, including Shell Oils in Alberta, IBM Headquarters in Toronto, CKCO Radio Station, and McMaster Medical Centre in Hamilton. Known for her “grey-brown watery earthscapes,” Walker imbued her paintings with a nostalgic aura, often drawing upon cherished memories of places and times past. As writer Lois Crawford observed in the Burlington Weekend Post during Walker’s 1991 Grimsby Art Gallery exhibition: “There is peace and serenity in the hills and fields under atmospheric skies. The watercolour landscapes are mostly memories…and for that reason, emit a nostalgic aura.”

Walker’s exhibition history was extensive and varied. She showed at Gustav’s Gallery in Niagara-on-the-Lake (1991), Damkjar-Burton Gallery in Hamilton (1977), and the Grimsby Art Gallery in both 1981 and 1991. She was an active member of the Escarpment Group of Painters in Watercolour, exhibiting annually at the Royal Botanical Gardens, as well as in venues such as Mina’s Art Investments in Ottawa (1981), The Burlington Spectator’s “Artists Gallery” (1989), and Burlington Central Library’s Centennial Hall (1992).

A committed member of the Women’s Arts Association of Hamilton, she also participated in their exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Hamilton (1977). Across all these settings, Walker’s work was united by a consistent vision: to evoke the tranquility, nostalgia, and natural grace of the landscapes she loved.

Compiled by Curator Andrea Jackman