Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Murray MacDonald
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1898-1989
History
Watercolour artist and art educator, Murray MacDonald, was born June 18, 1898, in Nova Scotia. MacDonald started sketching at the age of six. At this time, he focused primarily on delineating the sinking of the Titanic. On his 18th birthday, MacDonald enlisted in the army and was posted in Siberia. While on tour, he sketched frequently; unfortunately, he left his sketchbook in Siberia. After returning home, MacDonald taught at several rural schools. He eventually moved to Edmonton, where his career as an art educator flourished. He taught Applied Design at a technical high school, instructed at a division of the University of Alberta, and eventually became the Supervisor of Art for the Edmonton School Board. MacDonald also took time to instruct at The Banff School of Fine Arts (today The Banff Centre). It is here that MacDonald met A.Y. Jackson. MacDonald also taught classes at the University of Washington, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, and at the Edmonton Art Gallery. In 1960, MacDonald retired; however, he was quickly asked to become a visiting professor in Art Education for the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. MacDonald worked primarily in the realm of watercolour painting; however, he occasionally experimented with oil and acrylic as well. His subject matter was primarily landscapes; however, his painting style ranged from abstract to realism. For his exceptional contributions to art education, he received the Government Achievement Award for Excellence in 1979, and a honourary degree from the University of Alberta.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Access points area
Place access points
Occupations
Control area
Authority record identifier
Maintained by
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Final
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Record created October 8, 2021.
Record revised December 23, 2025.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Maintenance notes
Record created by AE.
Record revised by KM.