Listed Canadian Artist: (1911-1974)
Sight Size: h. 8" by w. 15”, Acrylic on Masonite.
Titled Verso: Labeled “Quarry Sails”.
Signed Recto: by the Artist lower right.
Condition: Recently cleaned and varnished with no condition issues.
Framed: h. 15" by w. 22”, Original from Adrian's painting framer.

A Note of Interest: Many east coast Canadian artists from the first half of the 20th century often visited the artist's colonies in Rockport, Gloucester and Provincetown, Mass., for both educational and recreational purposes. The scene depicted in this painting by Adrian was of the noted Rockport setting, Flat Ledge Quarry; a Rockport Granite Company quarry, which closed in 1933 and had provided vast volumes of excavated granite to numerous important east coast construction projects in the 19th and early 20th century.

Rockport granite was shipped all over the world. It can be found in New York in the bases of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge and in six Central Park Monuments, also in Boston in the Custom House Tower and Longfellow Bridge, and in the Charlestown, Mass., and Portsmouth, N.H., navy yards, to name but a few places. Which leaves little doubt in our minds why this small east coast fishing village was eventually named, Rockport.

Adrian Darley Dingle RCA, OSA, OIP, FIAL

 

 

 

 

*** "Net Frame, Neil's Harbour, Cape Breton Island"

      *** "Return to Folly Cove, Cape Ann"

           *** "Street in Rockport"

               *** "Autumn Leaves"

 

Adrian was born in Wales in 1911 and came to Canada in 1914 with his parents, settling in Oakville, Ontario. During his art student years he studied art under J.W. Beatty at OCA as well as in London, England at Goldsmith's College of art. When he returned to Canada he became a regular exhibitor at the OSA annual showings.

Many of Adrian's paintings were completed in oils but he also worked in acrylic and his artistic output was said to be between 150 to 200 paintings a year. During the summer he enjoyed travelling to the east coast, sometimes with fellow artist Hilton Hassell, to paint the eastern ports and other seaside activities. He also painted in France, Portugal, Spain, the British Isles and Massachusetts. During his earlier years (1952-1954) he also taught at the Doon School of Fine Arts, in Kitchener, Ont.

Adrian Dingle is recognized as being one of a number of 20th century artists that are now being keenly sought after by art collectors seeking previously overlooked fine paintings by this talented innovative artist. During his working years many of his paintings were sold at the Eaton Company Fine Art Gallery.

Adrian is represented in the National Gallery, the London Art Museum as well as in the collections of several banks and some large corporations, as well as in many private collections.

Adrian Dingle was also known for his contributions to the comic book industry in the 1940's and 1950's. He is most famous for his creation of the Canadian superhero character, Nelvana of the Northern Lights, one of the earliest Canadian comic book superheroes.

Nelvana of the Northern Lights first appeared in "Triumph Adventure Comics #1" in 1941, published by Hillborough Studios, which was founded by Dingle himself. Nelvana was depicted as an Inuit demigoddess who could control the elements and had various other superpowers. She fought against the villains threatening Canada and its people during World War II.

Dingle's creation of Nelvana is significant not only for being one of the earliest Canadian superheroes but also for being one of the few female superheroes of her time. She even predates Wonder Woman by a few months, making her one of the earliest female superheroes in North America's comic book history.

In addition to Nelvana, Adrian also created and illustrated other comic book characters and series during his career. However, today his comic book legacy is most closely associated with the Canadian Lady Superhero, Nelvana of the Northern Lights; a character that has gained renewed interest and recognition in recent years due to the efforts to preserve and celebrate Canada's comic book heritage.

Overall, Adrian Dingle's body of work and participation in the comic book world of the 1950s, particularly his creation of Nelvana of the Northern Lights, played a significant role in Canadian comic book history and paves the way for future Canadian comic book creators and characters. Adrian was posthumously inducted into the Joe Shuster Awards Hall of Fame in 2005.

This well respected Canadian painter and illustrator passed away in 1974.

Painting Ref No: 6REA13WKR-S/TIEEX

Adrian Dingle RCA, OSA, OIP, Quarry Sails, Acrylic on Board 1970