100 Paintings by Frank Panabaker — A Canadian Landscape Legend Gets His Due

 

If you love Canadian art, clear yourself an 20 minutes, because I just dropped something special on YouTube: 100 paintings by Frank Shirley Panabaker, one of the most dedicated and accomplished landscape Canadian painters.

A Hespeler Boy Who Changed Canadian Art

Frank Panabaker was born in 1904 right here in Hespeler, Ontario (now part of Cambridge), and from the very beginning, art was in his blood. His early talent didn't go unnoticed locally, he had the remarkable privilege of learning from none other than Homer Watson, the legendary Grand River valley painter dubbed the "Canadian Constable" by Oscar Wilde and one of the giants of Ontario art history. Watson devoted his life to painting the countryside of Doon, just down the road from Hespeler, and his influence on the young Panabaker must have been profound. You can feel it in Frank's lifelong devotion to the landscapes of his home region.

From those local roots, Panabaker's training took him to the highest levels of Canadian art education. He studied at the Ontario College of Art under Arthur Lismer and J.E.H. MacDonald,  two cornerstone members of the Group of Seven — and later sharpened his skills at the Grand Central School of Art in New York City. He went on to become one of only a handful of Canadians ever elected to the Allied Artists of America, and served as an associate of the Royal Canadian Academy.

A Life Spent Painting Canada

What makes Panabaker's story so compelling is his sheer commitment. According to Wikipedia, he drove across Southern Ontario, to the shores of Georgian Bay, through Haliburton, Muskoka, and Algonquin Park, painting in all seasons and all kinds of weather. He ventured west to capture the drama of the Canadian Rockies near Mount Assiniboine. He painted the hustle of the Hamilton Farmers' Market, the steel and smoke of a growing industrial city, and the quiet beauty of the British Isles. He was a self-supporting professional artist his entire adult life — no day job, no safety net, just paint and passion.

His work caught serious attention early. In 1933, during the depths of the Great Depression, a visit to one of his one-man shows by Sara Roosevelt, mother of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It made headlines, as she bought one and he sold 18 more paintings in the two days that followed. 

Four Artists of Hespeler Book

In 2023, I published the paperback, "The Four Artists of Hespeler: Frank Panabaker, Shirley Brent, Vera Rosenberger, Debbie Ellis", It featured a chapter on Frank.  Pick up a copy here 👉 https://www.amazon.ca/Four-Artists-Hespeler-Panabaker-Rosenberger/dp/1998829251

Watch It Now

I searched the internet and found over 100 paintings by Frank. This YouTube showcase brings together 100 of Frank Panabaker's paintings — landscapes, seasons, cities, wilderness, and everything in between. It's a front-row seat to a remarkable artistic life, and a beautiful reminder of just how rich Canada's art history really is. 

▶️ [Watch: 100 Paintings by Frank Panabaker — https://youtu.be/HFC5DPMny4o?si=0inFNMYBiIYiBNxa

Whether you're a longtime collector, an art history enthusiast, love local history or simply someone who loves the beauty of the Canadian landscape, this one is for you. Hit like, subscribe, and share it with someone who deserves a little beauty in their day. 🍁

Paul Langan