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RAADE, Wilhelm

Born in Norway 1893, he went to sea in 1915 and served on three and four masted schooners travelling between the eastern shores of Canada and Norway.

He spent his spare time painting seascapes and other subjects. By 1930, then aged 37, he decided to leave the sea and become an artist.

In 1956 he arrived in Canada with his wife and settled in Port Arthur, Ontario. He exhibited his work at the Lakehead Exhibition in 1957.

He worked for a time in the northern interior of British Columbia then made his home in Calgary, Alberta.

Following his wife's death in 1970 he packed his belongings in two trucks and headed for Watson Lake to join a prospector friend. There he planned to hunt, fish, prospect, trap and capture the wilderness on canvas.

Describing his work in 1970 Gloria Phillips in the Calgary Herald noted, "Vivid greens and yellows, rusts and oranges gave richness to his canvases, depicting mountains and meadows, fjords and islands of the old country.

He also painted the sea. High rolling breakers and quiet translucent waters leaped from his agile brush.

He painted the same scene many times, and as a result there will be numerous paintings out there that will look very similar, however they were all done individually and at different times.

Many of the scores of paintings finished by Mr. Raade have been sold through department stores in Canada.

Many of his oils also hang in homes in Europe."

One of his two daughters, Elizabeth Kitch, lived in Calgary.

There was a retrospective of his work several years ago in Norway near a place called Bjorkelangen where Willie's sister grew up. 75 pieces were brought in from collectors throughout Norway of his work.

National Gallery of Canada - Library and Archives

Wilhelm Raade in Kananaskis in 1983 with the very last painting he made of one of the tall ships. This was done specially for one of the Park Rangers.

Willie at a cabin in North BC in 1962. He loved posing with old abandoned log cabins with his rifle

Willy clearing brush for a cabin in Norway 1939

Willy passed away in 1986 in Calgary and is buried in Calgary (Queens Park Village) Cemetery.

Headstone Description

Section H, Block 12, Lot number estimated at 44

Wilhelm and his wife Emilie in Oslo – 1921

Wilhelm on a 3 masted barque sailing ship in 1919, location unknown.

Willy and his eagle Tess in Norway

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A note written by Willy when he was 88 which would have been a year prior to his death.

Willy used to drive west from Calgary very regularly and spend a couple of weeks or more at a time enjoying the mountains. He had been doing this long since before Kananaskis Country was created. His old International truck and camper festooned with his artwork was a regular visitor to Upper and Lower Kananaskis Lakes.

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