Ernst Bollhorn
1917 - 2010
Born in Schwerin, Germany, Ernst Bollhorn drew his early inspiration from his artist father whose old drawing textbooks demonstrated the exacting standards of 19th Century drafting while photography was in its infancy. Later in high school, Bollhorn studied under the famous German artist Rudolf Gahlbeck, becoming an expert at rendering the stately architecture of Mecklenburg’s medieval and Renaissance buildings. Nonetheless Bollhorn soon abandoned art entirely for decades.
After completing school and apprenticing as an agronomist, Bollhorn moved to Canada with his family in 1953 and worked at a range of jobs until he retired in 1982. After 50 years away from creating art, he returned in 1986 to pen-and-ink drawing. Within a year his work was displayed at Red Deer’s Historical Cronquist House, after which CKRD Television invited him to introduce his series of drawings about the city; he returned the following spring to showcase his Calgary drawing series. Bollhorn’s work gained audiences at the Red Deer Museum, the Calgary Stampede, and the Royal Alberta Museum.
The Government of the Northwest Territories commissioned Bollhorn to produce three drawings for the Twinfalls Gorge Territorial Park at Louise Falls Viewpoint. Several collections house Bollhorn’s work, including those of the frigate HMCS Calgary, Red Deer City Hall, and the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation.
After completing school and apprenticing as an agronomist, Bollhorn moved to Canada with his family in 1953 and worked at a range of jobs until he retired in 1982. After 50 years away from creating art, he returned in 1986 to pen-and-ink drawing. Within a year his work was displayed at Red Deer’s Historical Cronquist House, after which CKRD Television invited him to introduce his series of drawings about the city; he returned the following spring to showcase his Calgary drawing series. Bollhorn’s work gained audiences at the Red Deer Museum, the Calgary Stampede, and the Royal Alberta Museum.
The Government of the Northwest Territories commissioned Bollhorn to produce three drawings for the Twinfalls Gorge Territorial Park at Louise Falls Viewpoint. Several collections house Bollhorn’s work, including those of the frigate HMCS Calgary, Red Deer City Hall, and the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation.