Alexandra Luke (1901-1967)
Artist
While born in Montreal, Luke grew up in Oshawa, Ontario. She was a self-taught artist until 1945 when she enrolled in the Banff School of Fine Art and took summer courses under Hans Hofmann from 1947-1951. Luke became a prominent figure in the abstract painting community in Canada and was a founding member of the Painters Eleven, Ontario’s first group dedicated to abstract expressionism.
She is best known for her abstract style featuring vibrant colours that jump off the page. This use of colour along with the thick impasto that she also employed gives her mature abstract work its engaging power.
In addition to painting, Luke was an active member of her community. She conducted an art centre for children in Oshawa and gave ceramic lessons out of her home. She worked with many organizations such as the Oshawa Historical Society, Women’s Welfare League, and the Victorian Order of Nurses. Luke and her family were instrumental in the creation of a permanent public art space in Oshawa as they provided financial support and art pieces from their personal collection to the development of what is now known as the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa.