Main page Antonia Lanik Gabanek
was born in Brusperk, Czechoslovakia. She graduated at the Academy
of Fine Arts in Prague, where she studied figure painting and
printmaking. After she completed her studies in 1950, she exhibited
regularly in state galleries and in addition executed numerous
designs for stained glass windows, sgraffito and mosaics for public
buildings.
After the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 she left her
homeland with her husband and their two children Maria Gabankova
and Jan Gabanek and they settled in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The unique beauty of Canadian landscape soon became the source
of inspiration for many of her oil paintings, watercolours and
drawings. Her interest is focussed not only on the scenery. She
also enjoys portraying people in their natural environment. Fishermen
with their nets, workers in the fish-packing plants, musicians
rehearsing, children at play are among some of the motives captured
in her work.
Antonia went on several sketching trips to Europe and U.S.A. A
successful exhibition, which she had together with her husband
in Vancouver in 1984 reflected many picturesque places in England.
Few years ago Antonia had an opportunity to visit the Canadian
western provinces as well as Ontario and brought back many sketches
of rivers, lakes and of Toronto Kensington Market.
Antonia has been exhibiting in Vancouver since 1970 as well as
in other cities of British Columbia and the U.S.A.
She was featured in the CBC documentary Painting Canada,
1986, received an honourable mention in the Coho Art Festival
in Vancouver, and her watercolour Grandma sewing was accepted
in the Provincial Festival of Arts in Kimberley, B.C. Her work
was also accepted in the juried provincial exhibition Use of water
in industry.
Antonia collaborated with her husband Joseph on creating an oil
painting (6'x9'/2x3 m) for the Historic Site of Canada in Fort
Langley, BC where British Columbia was proclaimed a British colony
by James Douglas in 1858. The painting was commissioned for the
occasion of 150th anniversary celebration of the event. It is
on display in the original building.
A gifted teacher, Antonia has taught art lessons to many students
over the years.
