BIOGRAPHY & ARTIST CV
Canadian artist, George Szabo, was born in Hungary in 1947, however his family escaped the country during the 1956 Revolution. He lived in Austria and Italy for one year, then migrated to Australia in 1957, before settling in Toronto, Canada in 1966.
After attending York University for two years, he then transferred to the University of Waterloo where he explored courses in psychology and mathematics before gravitating to their full time Fine Arts program, graduating in 1974. At this point in his career, George`s main artistic influences and inspiration came from Canadian artists Toni Urqhuart and Virgil Burnett, however remnants of their style can still be seen subtly in his work today.
Once completing his University studies, George returned to Toronto where he furthered his skills through life drawing sessions at the 3 Schools on Bloor St along with the Toronto School of Art. It was here that George started to concentrate his artistic efforts on sculpture after discovering stone carvings were his favourite medium to work with – even still to this day.
During this time of exploration, Szabo helped contribute to his local artist community by working within two local library systems, where he led arts and crafts sessions for children, as well as helping to design some of their wayfinding signage and interior environments. Enjoying his time working with the community, he eventually became part of their art exhibit committee.
In 1977, George moved ground from the city to the country, and worked a number of “mind numbing” jobs like railroad labourer, seasonal tree planter, truck driver and landscape gardener just to name a few as well. During this time, his drawing and sculpting continued sporadically until he moved to an old dilapidated farm near the town of Waubashine, close to Georgian Bay, in 1978.
Again finding his creative stride in the country, the 10 years he spent at the farm gave him the freedom and physical space to fully pursue multiple creative directions, and where he began to diversify his sculptural work. With more natural beauty and country space as inspiration, he began to form assemblages from found objects, and began to play with the world of pure abstractions, while continuing to create figurative work and numerous illustrative drawings.
The next chapter in George’s life began when he moved to the small town of Hillsdale ON, and joined his brother’s construction company, building high end cottages on the Muskoka Lakes and the surrounding area. The change in environment inspired his sculpting and drawing, and his newly acquired building skills (especially timber frame joinery) introduced him to new materials and would later influence his artistic direction with his most recent wood constructions.
Now that George doesn’t have to deal with a “real job” anymore, he’s able to concentrate solely on his creative endeavors, motivated by the search for new ways to expand his sculptural repertoire. He continues to redefine his artistic style through supplementary work in drawing, photography and any other new form of visual creativity that inspires him.
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, ON ———- STUDENT SHOW
TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY, ON ———- SOLO SHOW
GALLERY GALE MIDLAND, ON ———– GROUP SHOW
GALLERY ARPAGE COLLINGWOOD, ON ———— GROUP SHOW
SOCIETY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS, TORONTO, ON ———– GROUP SHOW
ARTA GALLERY- DISTILLERY DISTRICT TORONTO, ON. ———– GALLERY ARTIST
QUEST GALLERY, MIDLAND, ON ———— GROUP SHOWS.
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY, ON ————- GROUP SHOW
His works can be found in private collections throughout Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Collingwood, Muskoka, Midland, Florida, San Francisco, Germany, and Hungary.
To contact the artist email him at georgeszaboartist@gmail.com.