Douglas Lawley (1906-1971)
Douglas Lawley was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Graduate of Mt. Allison and McGill Universities. He first became interested in painting in 1937, studying under Agnes Lefort in Montreal and also studying at the American National Academy.
In April 1962, Douglas Lawley’s first one-man show featuring the Sable Island paintings was exhibited at Montreal’s Dominion Gallery, which continued to represent him. His Sable Island ponies are simple in composition, tracing the movements of the wild horses across the white sands and grassy sand dunes.
As a painter, Douglas Lawley seemed to keep apart from the art scene in Montreal and Canada; he wasn’t a member of artist associations. However, he is considered one of Nova Scotia’s best artists, and interest in his works has slowly grown in the Maritimes and other parts of Canada. And Douglas Lawley’s Sable Island paintings hold a special place in Canadian art history.
