Main page Antonia Lanik Gabanek

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.

Proclamation of British Columbia

(Bigger size)


Main page Antonia Lanik Gabanek