Ella May Walker: The Artist

For her paintings, Ella May Walker used various mediums such as oil, watercolour, gouache, pastel, tempera and charcoal. Ella was also a sculptor who taught evening sculpting classes through the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Extension. Her subjects ranged from nature scenes, portraits and contemporary historic scenes, to recreations of life in Edmonton’s early days.

Ella's historical artwork generally fell into 2 categories: capturing contemporary scenes, and recreations of past scenes and events. Most of her contemporary work was the focus of her preservation efforts, and many of her recreations were used as illustrations in her book, "Fortress North".

A woman sitting an easel, painting a house.

Ella May Walker
[EA-134-2]
Ella working on a painting c. 1957. The painting on the easel (on the right) is at the City of Edmonton Archives: The Walter House [EAA-1-7]

Painting the Past

The majority of Ella's artwork at the City of Edmonton Archives focuses on Edmonton's history. She created these works out of a love of history and a desire to educate and share it with others.

For instance, she used her artwork to illustrate speeches she gave to all kinds of Edmonton organizations. Her clippings file at the Archives has several newspaper stories on these activities. One article reports of Ella's speech to the South Side Rotary Club, who describes how "she told of the need for creating interest in preserving the tangible aspects of the city's early days."

Ella May Walker recreated scenes, events, and people from Edmonton's past. She also repurposed her work, using the same scene in different ways: the cost to reproduce her paintings in her novel, "Fortress North" , was too high, so she redrew them using black and white ink and watercolour.

Father Lacombe Arrives from Lac Ste. Anne [EAA-1-3]

Prairie Fire of 1878 [EAA-1-11]

"A Scourging Prairie Fire" [EAA-1-34]

Old Ferry Makes a Crossing at Sundown [EAA-1-16]

Some "Klondykers" [EAA-1-35]

Fortress North chapter illustration [EAA-1-25]

Sculptures

The Archives has 2 of Ella May Walker's sculptures: a bust of Chief Poundmaker² and a bust of Big Bear³. In 1940, Ella was commissioned to sculpt these men by the Luxton Museum in Banff. It is possible that the works at the Archives were preliminary models for the finished pieces.

Chief Poundmaker [EAA-1-20]

Big Bear [EAA-1-21]

Footnotes

Father Lacombe Chapel: Canadian Encyclopedia and Musée Héritage Museum
Chief Poundmaker: Canadian Encyclopedia
Big Bear: Canadian Encylopedia
McDougall United Church: City of Edmonton Archives

Capturing Contemporary Scenes

Ella May Walker painted contemporary scenes of historic houses and trees, and then advocated for their preservation.

Muchias' Tiny House [EAA-1-9]

John Walter House [EAA-1-1]

Muchias, The Water Boy

Maligne Lake, Winter Jasper Park [EAA-1-17]

George Bernard Shaw bust [MS-52]

"Airplane Flights and a World Centre" [EA-1-38]

Lauder House [EAA-1-6]

Downtown Edmonton, back alleys [EAA-1-18]

The Edmonton Bell [EAA-1-19]

Footnotes

Prince Arthur Logs: Hudson's Bay Company Archives in Manitoba

John Walter

A painting of a green two storey house in winter.

John Walter House
[EAA-1-1]

Ella painted several scenes associated with John Walter, including 2 of his houses. These houses are now maintained by the City at the John Walter Museum.

John Walter came to Canada to work as a boatbuilder for the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1870. He later started his own boatbuilding company where he built and operated a ferry across the North Saskatchewan River. He was also involved in mining and lumber, becoming one of Edmonton’s wealthiest citizens.

When the water is low, log booms for his sawmills are still visible in the river from the High Level Bridge. Unfortunately, as most of his business was based around the river, he lost everything in the flood of 1915. Walterdale Hill Road, Walterdale Park, and the Walterdale Bridge are named after him.

Muchias

John Collins (known far and wide as Muchias) was born in 1853 in Lac Ste. Anne and died in St. Albert in 1939 at the age of 86. He worked at Fort Edmonton, where his primary job was to haul water from the river to the Fort. He originally did this work by hand, and later by horse cart.

He was just under 4 feet tall and famous for his strength. Imagine hauling water in barrels from the North Saskatchewan up to the Fort, located at the present day Alberta Legislature Grounds!

In addition to his work at the Fort, he also built a house for John Walter near Walter's home and ferry operation on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River (near the present day Kinsmen Park and John Walter Museum).

Ella appears to have liked Muchias and his story; in addition to painting him and his house, she also wrote articles about him and featured him in her novel, "Fortress North". In 1983, the City of Edmonton recognized Muchias' contribution to our history by naming Muchias Park, located at 3524-25 Avenue, after him.

"Muchias, The Water Boy", by Ella May Walker appears to be based on the City of Edmonton Archives photograph EA-10-1514

A short man standing in the doorway of a wooden cabin, dressed in Western attire.

A painting of a man dressed in Western attire.

A Different Side

A painting of a lake in winter, frozen over with ice.

Maligne Lake, Winter Jasper Park by Ella May Walker
[EAA-1-17]

Ella's creativity was not always focused on Edmonton and promoting history. Her picture of Maligne Lake was likely painted at the Walker's cabin during a family holiday to Jasper National Park.

It's interesting that most of Ella's artwork held by the City of Edmonton Archives is of scenes set in the late fall and winter. This is unusual as many artists shy away from this type of imagery, instead opting to paint the gentler, more idyllic spring and summer seasons.

Art Gallery of Alberta

Two of Ella May Walker's paintings were loaned by the Archives to the Art Gallery of Alberta for their March 10-June 3, 2012 exhibit: Alberta Mistresses of the Modern: 1935-1975.