McNEELY Tom
Website, devilsartisan.ca/rogues_gallery.mcneely.html
“The Arts are demanding. There is joy when your efforts work; pain when either concept, design, draftsmanship or painting techniques is weak.” devilsartisan.ca/rogues_gallery.mcneely.html. Taken from Tom McNeely: 50 Years of Visual Arts (2007).
Born 1935 in Toronto.
His aunt recognized his early interest (and talent) in art, enrolled him in an art correspondence course and arranged for him to take lessons from Fredrick Steiger a self-taught artist born in Austria who moved to Canada in 1922.
After graduating from high school he joined Rapid Grip Ltd. It was originally founded in 1873 by J.W. Bengough as Grip. It evolved into Rapid Grip & Batten Ltd. then Bomac Batten. In 1955 Tom moved to the art department of Bomac Engraving. In 1962 he joined Art & Design Studios and in 1968 became a freelance illustrator.
His work appeared in periodical like Canadian Forum, Chatelaine, The Globe & Mail, Radio Guide, Star Weekly, and Starweek TV Guide. He created posters for Expo ’67, Canada Cup ’76, Canadian National Exhibition and National Geographic Society and stamps for Canada Post. He illustrated books for among others Harper Collins, McClelland & Stewart and Ryerson Press. He taught fourth year painting and illustration at the Ontario College of Art & Design.
He was a member of both the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour and the Society of Canadian Artists. He has been given awards by the Art Director’s Club of Toronto, the Montreal Art Directors Club and the Art Directors Club and the Society of Illustrators both of New York, U.S.A.
WORK:
ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK TEXT:
Content history:
Canada’s First Bank. Writ., Merrill Denison. McClelland & Stewart, 1966. Painting: “First Canadian Steamship Across The Atlantic”: 291. Part of a group of artists: Lorne Bouchard, Douglas Johnson, Bruce Johnson, Will Davies, William Kurelek, Henry Simpkins, Stuart Main, Gerald L. Sevier, Roy Hewitson , James Walker, Jack Tremblay, Fred Oakley, Franklin Arbuckle, Alex Taylor, Lewis Parker, Huntley Brown, Jerry Lazare commissioned for this work.
Cover dust jacket:
Cabbagetown. Writ., Hugh Garner.: Ryerson Press, 1968.
PERIODICAL TEXT ANTHOLOGY:
Content essay:
The Canadian Forum, December 1985: “Fiddling with History”. Writ., P.K. Smith: 32. “Xmas Hollywood Style”. Writ., R. Wood: 33.
Content program preview:
Radio Guide, 5-4, April 1985: “Ideas”. Writ., unidentified: 9.
SOURCE:
Internet:
devilsartisan.ca/rogues_gallery.mcneely.html “Tom McNeely”, Writ., Chester Gryski. Accessed 30 January 2024.
fishinkblog.com/2018/11/06/tom-mcneely-mid-century-illustrator/ Accessed 30 January 2024.
rogallery.com/artists/tom-mcneely/ Accessed 30 January 2024.
GALLERY:
Cabbagetown, 1968: Front cover.
The Canadian Forum, December 1985: 33.