Robert Bateman: Heart & Home

June 18, 2022 – February 18, 2023

Title Sponsor Land Rover

Free for members

Curated by Andrea Terrón

A special moment is a hummingbird. It’s a little gift.
Suddenly, it’s there. Shining, beautiful and bright.
Then you blink and it’s gone.

The Robert Bateman: Heart & Home exhibit illuminates the inspirations, connections and soul of an artist steeped in nature. The collection is comprised of extraordinary artwork and pieces, some never-before-seen and meant for an audience of one. See Robert Bateman like never before. Get a glimpse of a private artists as husband, father, friend, and teacher.

The collection captures the intimate occasions of birthdays, holidays, and the love that Robert Bateman shares with his close family and friends. It remind us of the fundamental truth – our connections to each other create a full life.

“What we see, and experience, is what we become, it’s what we teach, it’s what we leave behind.”
Robert Bateman

Just like capturing the fleeting moments of light in the natural world, Robert savours the moments of creating gifts to express his care.

Step into Robert’s studio and be immersed in the artist’s space. In the next room, you’ll enter a Bateman Christmas in the 90s with a 54” sculpted Nutcracker with a mischievous grin standing beside a handcrafted Christmas crèche. The journey continues with paintings, drawings, and furniture pieces gifted to loved ones. Timeless and detailed, the pieces can be passed down and enjoyed by future generations. The artist is as mindful of protecting the beauty of nature as he is preserving treasured memories.

What will you leave behind for your family? friends? future generations?

Special thanks to the Bateman family and friends for sharing your artwork and pieces to make this exhibition.

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A Sneak Peek

Oil on board 14 x 20 This is Birgit and we were alone at our summer cottage in Ontario and it was a very, very, hot summer. I have always loved doing the human figure. I took a class in life drawing for five years - drawing nudes - that was the main art class, so I did nudes for all that time. I really like the human figure and I thought it would be a nice thing to do my own wife, in a pose, while she was reading in the summertime.
2005, Acrylic, 12 x 30, Bedroom window Reginald Hill
In 2001, Jocelyn and I moved to Salt Spring with the intention of having a baby. We moved into this 1930’s farm house that dad and Birgit had purchased in the late 80’s. Several family members have lodged here over the years. On June 20, 2022, we had baby Annie, named after Dad’s mother. She was born in the living room of this house. Dad did this sketch while spending time with artist David Barker. He did it with the intention of giving it to Jocelyn to celebrate the incredible memories shared here. - John Bateman
2009, Winter Walk, acryclic on board 18 x 36 My wife, Birgit, and I are fortunate to have been living in nature for as long as we have been together (over 3 1/2 decades). Unless there is a compelling interruption we unfailingly go for a half hour hike come rain, shine or snow. We live right beside 150 acres of watershed protection land administered by Ducks Unlimited, in a bucolic blend of field and forest and the largest beaver pond I have ever seen. Birgit walks faster than I do and I sometimes stop to check a bird or take a picture. This painting shows her on a snowy day in wistful meditation while she waits for me to catch up.
1985, Mike Bossy, acrylic on paper I’m a big sports fan, Dad is not. My favourite hockey player was Mike Bossy. Dad took me to 2 New York Islanders games. This is a birthday card he painted for me. Mike Bossy died this year which makes this image particularly more valuable to me. - John Bateman
1997, John as Planet of the Apes, pencil on paper 9 x 12 In my college days, I had what many would say were questionable hair and whisker configurations. Jocelyn has always been a fan of Chimps and Gorillas. Dad decided to depict perhaps what he saw me as during that time of my life. The result is this really funny characterization that has become etched in family lore. - John Bateman

With thanks to

TITLE SPONSOR

In 1957, Robert Bateman and Bristol Foster took a journey around the world with nothing other than a sense of curiosity for the unknown and a Land Rover. The “Grizzly Torque” took the two Canadians to 19 countries on 4 different continents for an unforgettable 14-month long journey.