EWALD RENTZ (1908 - 1995)

Ewald Rentz was born in North Dakota in 1908. He grew up on a farm in Manitoba with his five brothers and three sisters. Rentz apprenticed as a barber in Winnipeg and later moved to Beardmore, Ontario where he worked as a lumberjack, prospector, cook and finally a barber which he continued to do well into his 80s. During his work as a prospector Rentz found unusual roots, branches and fungus. In his spare time he would coax the hidden forms out of the wood and fungus and turn them into sculptures. He used plastic wood and paint to finish the pieces. Ewald Rentz created a variety of whimsical and often humorous people and animals including bellhops, matadors, and mermaids. His work can be found in the Canadian Museum Of Civilization permanent collection and many collection across North America. Ref: Canadian Museum of Civilization, Just for Nice; German-Canadian Folk Art (1993); Kobayashi/Bird, A Compendium of Canadian Folk Artists (1985); Blake McKendry, Folk Art Primitive and Na ve Art in Canada (1983): Blake McKendry, An Illustrated Companion to Canadian Folk Art (1999): Bernard Riordon (Beaverbrook Gallery), Canadian Folk Art from the Collection of Susan A. Murray (2007).

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