Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
1928 -
BCSA OC
Gathie Falk is a prominent West Coast painter, sculptor, printmaker and performance artist whose works are in major museums across Canada, including the National Gallery of Canada. Born in 1928 in Alexander, Manitoba into a Mennonite family, Falk spent her early life in Manitoba until her family moved to Vancouver in 1947. Falk studied education at the University of British Columbia in the 1950s, and spent 12 years working as a school teacher. During this time, she began formal art training at the University of British Columbia summer classes under Jock MacDonald. In 1965, she ceased teaching and launched her career as an artist.

The idea of collaboration and an interdisciplinary approach were part of the Vancouver community in the 1960s. During this time Falk created performance art pieces in which she acted assisted by friends. Images and actions were drawn from the everyday, but had a surreal or dreamlike quality. In this same decade, she produced ceramic sculpture based on everyday objects such as shoes and fruit, and often used repetition of form - such as ruby red ceramic apples carefully piled in a pyramid or bright orange ceramic shoes displayed in a cabinet. She also produced installation works, such as Home Environment, a room containing altered furniture and clay objects.

Falk's ceramic work continued to evolve into the 1970s, with works such as her Picnic series of still life tableaus. Also in this decade after a pivotal trip to Venice in 1977, she plunged into painting on canvas, pulling her subjects from her surroundings such as her garden. Beginning in 1979, she worked on the extraordinary series of large-scale paintings entitled Night Skies.

Falk has continued to paint in series, bringing great awareness to bear on the everyday objects that are often part of her work, sometimes with elements of whimsy. In recent years she has worked three-dimensionally in painted papier mâché and bronze with subjects such as men's shirts, women's dresses and canoes.

Her list of exhibitions is extensive, and includes a retrospective exhibition in 1985 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Another retrospective originated at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2000, touring across Canada and ending at the National Gallery of Canada.
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Support System with Camelia Bush by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $20,060
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Support System with Camelia Bush
84 x 60 in, 213.3 x 152.4 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $7,000 - $9,000 CDN
Sold for: $20,060 CDN (premium included)
August 2016 - 2nd Session on Thursday, August 25, 2016
Green Running Shoes by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $20,000
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Green Running Shoes
5 x 9 1/2 x 11 in, 12.7 x 24.1 x 27.9 cm
2019
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $20,000 CDN (premium included)
Vancouver Art Gallery Art Auction 2021 | Spring Forward on Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Pieces of Water (03830/A84-0016) by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $17,500
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Pieces of Water (03830/A84-0016)
77 1/2 x 66 in, 196.9 x 167.6 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $17,500 CDN (premium included)
Highlights from DuPont Canada on Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Pieces of Water: Bobbie Sands by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $16,250
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Pieces of Water: Bobbie Sands
78 x 66 in, 198.1 x 167.6 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $16,250 CDN (premium included)
Spring Curated on Thursday, May 26, 2022
Pieces of Water: 18.7% Interest Rate by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $15,000
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Pieces of Water: 18.7% Interest Rate
78 x 66 in, 198.1 x 167.6 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $15,000 CDN (premium included)
Spring Curated on Thursday, May 26, 2022
Support System with Michaelmas Daisies #1 by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $15,000
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Support System with Michaelmas Daisies #1
84 x 60 in, 213.3 x 152.4 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000 CDN
Sold for: $15,000 CDN (premium included)
West Coast Modern & Contemporary on Thursday, March 25, 2021
Reclining Figure (after Henry Moore): Lizzie by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $12,500
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Reclining Figure (after Henry Moore): Lizzie
22 x 13 x 41 in, 55.9 x 33 x 104.1 cm
bronze sculpture
Estimate: $12,000 - $16,000 CDN
Sold for: $12,500 CDN (premium included)
Post-War & Contemporary Prints and Multiples on Thursday, September 30, 2021
Apples by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $11,875
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Apples
48 x 48 in, 121.9 x 121.9 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $11,875 CDN (premium included)
Post-War & Contemporary Art on Thursday, March 26, 2020
Night Sky 16 by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $11,250
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Night Sky 16
62 x 47 1/2 in, 157.5 x 120.6 cm
oil on canvas
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $11,250 CDN (premium included)
Post-War & Contemporary Art Highlights on Thursday, November 28, 2019
Heavenly Bodies, Sun by Agatha (Gathie) Falk sold for $10,000
Agatha (Gathie) Falk
Heavenly Bodies, Sun
136 x 60 in, 345.4 x 152.4 cm
acrylic on canvas
Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000 CDN
Sold for: $10,000 CDN (premium included)
West: Modern & Contemporary Works by B.C. Artists on Thursday, March 28, 2019