Clarence Tillenius
| Clarence Tillenius | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 1913 Sandridge, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | January 22, 2012 (aged 98) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Known for | dioramas,painting,sculpture |
Clarence Tillenius, CM OM (August 31, 1913 – January 22, 2012) was a Canadian artist, environmentalist, and advocate for the protection of wildlife and wilderness.
Born on August 31, 1913 in Sandridge, Manitoba to parents having Swedish and Norwegian ancestry, Tillenius grew up with six siblings on a farm in the Manitoba Interlake region 100 km north of Winnipeg. His parents recognized his artistic skills when he created a portrait of the family dog at the young age of four and he sketched, painted or drawn every day until his death. Tillenius attended Clematis School in 1919 and kept in correspondence with his teacher Marion Archibald (Irwin) until her death. Tillenius attended High School in Teulon, Manitoba but never attended university due to the Great Depression. Tillenius educated himself by acquiring and reading books and had over 5,000 books in his library.
Tillenius worked on farms, mines, lumber camps, railroad crews, forest fire crews and construction crews in Manitoba and Ontario during which time he developed a greater interest in the outdoors. He built a homestead cabin in Ontario.
Tillenius sold his first cover to the Country Guide in 1934.
He barely escaped death in a railway line reconstruction accident at Hudson, Ontario in 1936, losing his right arm at the shoulder after falling under a CNR rock car while operating a steam shovel. During recovery at the hospital in Sioux Lookout, a nurse and doctor encouraged him to learn to paint using his left hand. This encouraged Tillenius to persevere and to redevelop his painting skills using his left hand. He received the tutelage of a fine artist and great friend, Alexander J. Musgrove, who established the first drawing school in Manitoba.
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