Joyce Wieland

Canadian experimental filmmaker and mixed media artist. She was made a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1982. Wielands aptitude for art was first expressed during her childhood, when she made many drawings and comic books to help her cope with the death of her parents. As a teenager, she studied commercial art and graphic design. After completing her schooling, she worked at an animation studio, where she learned techniques she would later apply in her own films. In 1956, Wieland married filmmaker Michael Snow, who she had met through her job at the animation studio. She had her first solo exhibition in 1960 at the Isaacs gallery in Toronto, making her the only woman that the prestigious gallery represented and instantly earning her greater recognition for her work. In 1962, Wieland and Snow moved to New York where they lived until 1970. She attracted critical recognition of her work but eventually moved back to Toronto. Wieland later divorced Snow and kept a low profile until her death on June 27, 1998 from Alzheimers disease. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less