Artists Biographies

Abel Lee was born in 1918, in Jõhvi, Estonia. He began developing his talent at the Tallinn Art Academy. After living in Sweden and Finland, he immigrated to Canada in 1951.

From 1945-50 primarily active as a graphic artist and painter.  Exhibited in Finland, where he gained recognition for his illustration of A. Kivi’s work, in Sweden until 1950. 

Exhibited in 1972 at the First Estonian World Festival Art Exhibition at Tartu College and in 1975 at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario where his work is on permanent collection.

Ants Vomm was born on June 4, 1931 in Tartu, Estonia. After his mother fled with son Ants and daughter Mai from the Soviet invasion, the family members were interned in an American camp for displaced persons for four years in Germany.

Articles in many periodicals, magazines and catalogues, in General Art History in 1937, EKKT’s 1996 Art Album, Estonian Art in Exile-Lexicon, 1980.

The Russian invasion of Estonia forced her family to flee to Germany.  After the war Arville Puström studied at the Art Academy of Düsseldorf (1946-1949).

Founding member of EKKT.  Twice elected President (1958-60) and (1969-90) or a total of 25 years.

Worked as a fashion and commercial artist in Montreal, New York, Monterey, California and Toronto. 

Exhibited in countless exhibitions in Europe, U.S.A., Canada and Australia, including one-man shows in Washington, New York, Stockholm, Munich, Brussels, Rome, Parmas, Helsinki, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Studied under Prof. Fileen at Art Academy of Helsinki in Finland. Discovered frozen watercolor technique.

Founding member of New Canadian Artists in Toronto in the early 1950’s (now known as Colour and Form). Works on permanent collection at Lund University in Sweden.

Worked since 1952 as a professional painter, graphic artist and commercial designer. Traveled for study purposes throughout Europe, the United States and Mexico.

Founding member of EKKT.  Twice elected President (1958-60) and (1969-90) or a total of 25 years.

My name is Ilona Burghardt and I was born in London, Ontario. I attended at the University of Western Ontario, and the Ontario College of Art. I started drawing when I was very young and have always been attracted to painting, and the world of visual art. To me, the process of creation is such […]

Born in Toronto, Canada on August 13,1956. Grew up on dairy farm in Tottenham, Ontario. Graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1978. Studied Basic Design and Illustration at George Brown College in 1979 and received a Certificate in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in 1980. [...]

Upon his arrival in Canada with the help of the Canadian Red Cross in Halifax, Nova Scotia he organized the first independent exhibition by an Estonian artist in Canada.

Johann Naha was born in Riga, Latvia on January 3, 1902. He studied graphic design and applied arts at the Estonian National Academy of Arts  in Tallinn and was a student of G. Reindorff. He studied further in Paris, Berlin and other European cities including the Art Academy in München, Germany. Johann emigrated from Estonia […]

Born on May 5, 1924 on the island of Saaremaa in Estonia.  As a student, he began painting watercolours and his works were quickly purchased throughout the country.

Art teacher in Tottenham and Beeton Public Schools for three years in the early 1970’s. Past curator of Estonian Arts Centre art collection in Toronto.

Osvald Timmas was born in 1913 in the County of Kärla, Saaremaa, Estonia. He studied economics at the University of Tartu from 1939 to 1944.

Sculptor Tauno Kangro was born on May 25th 1966 in Tallinn. Kangro began to study art already in his school days, at Kalju Reitel’s Sculpture Studio.

Multi-media artist born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her grandparents were born in Estonia and emigrated to Sweden during WWII, then to Canada. She has a natural artistic talent, seeing beauty in form and colour. Inspired by animals, nature, landscapes, and science, she explores Canada, Estonia, and the rest of the globe in her work. Though […]

Paints mainly with oils and acrylics.  Her work hangs in independent collections in Sweden, Estonia and Canada.  Resides in Toronto.

Velta Paparde was a worldly woman of many talents, born in Liepāja, Latvia 1909. She studied art with fellow Baltic women at the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga and developed her technique over decades of travel. She lost her first husband during the Soviet occupation of Latvia, then remarried later in life and settled her family in Toronto, […]

He likes to paint mostly landscapes and has exhibited many times at the Toronto Estonian House Gallery.