Linda D. Crabtree, CM, O.Ont., O.M.C., B.A., LL.D.

e-mail:linda@lindacrabtree.com

Very early training - with artist Tony Urquhart

1963 - 1966 - Graduated Sir George Williams School of Art - Montreal - three years of classes in fine and commercial art - art history, etc.

1967-68 - Worked in Montreal and Toronto for production houses, making television commercials or commercial photography. Black and white photograph of Place des Arts in a touring show promoting the City of Montreal. My first photograph to be exhibited.

1969 - St. Catharines Standard. Eventually began writing critiques of local art shows and then edited weekly art page for seven years. Judged many art and craft shows during those years.

1971 - Soul of Niagara Group Show, Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario
- Soul of Niagara Touring Show, Brantford and Kitchener
Niagara was just starting to recognize its own artists thanks to Peter Harris at Rodman Hall and John Boyle, John Moffat, Sandy Fairbairn and some others in the early 70s, and I was part of the group that started out exhibiting and pushing local artistic talent. My art writing for the paper helped bring them to the forefront, and I covered every show, everything they did including the formative years of the Niagara Artists' Co-op (Company) which is still going today but inaccessible to me at its present location.

1972 - Niagara Now Group Show

1973 - Niagara Artists' Co-op Storefront Art Blitz

1974 - Founded the St. Catharines Folk Arts Festival Craft Show. I think I ran it for four years and then someone else took over.

1977 - Co-founded The St. Catharines Craft Guild and Co-op with retail outlet
One woman show, Janrielle Gallery, Niagara Falls, Ontario - sold several pieces

1978 - St. Catharines Folk Arts Fine Art Show - won a second place award in the general category

1979 - St. Catharines Art Association Fall Show - Award of Merit
St. Catharines Folk Arts Fine Art show
Works in Rodman Hall Rental Gallery and General Motors exhibit

1980 - One Woman Show - The Gallery, Brock University - mainly batik on rice paper abstract work, large and very colorful.
Began selling from home as well

1981 - Entre Nous Phase I - four artists - Brock University sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council
Entre Nous Phase II - group show - St. Catharines Multicultural Centre
Entre Nous Phase II - presented collage workshop sponsored by OAC
Founding member Group ‘81 - Six Niagara Artists, May ‘81
St. Catharines Folk Arts Juried Show - First prize in the general category (silver tray)
- Third prize in still-life category

Former member of St. Catharines Art Association, Niagara Artists' Company, Hamilton Arts Council, Visual Arts Ontario, Womanspirit in London, Ontario, St. Catharines Craft Guild and Ontario Craft Council. Member St. Catharines Art Association again beginning 1999.

1982 - Retired from newspaper on disability pension - physical disability getting worse as artwork and day job writing competed for limited energy

1982 - One woman show at Windpoppy Gallery in Fonthill, Ontario, of paintings, batik on rice paper, box sculptures, collages. Had one woman show lined up for Niagara Falls Library and Rodman Hall Arts Centre, and forced to cancel due to progressing neuromuscular disease.

1983-84 - Went back to school and founded CMT International - a worldwide organization working with people who have Charcot-Marie- Tooth disease.

1985-95 - Designed Christmas cards and hastie notes for CMT International

1991-99 - Donated artwork to Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority annually for art auction which is no longer.

2000 - St. Catharines Art Association 40th Annual Juried Show.
Sold large watercolour to St. Catharines YWCA.

2002 - March, April - Sculpting class with John Smeulders through Brock University.