A documentary about the self-taught painter William Kurelek, told through his paintings. There are scenes of village life in the Ukraine and the early days of struggle on a prairie homestead and the growing comfort of family life. In Ontario, Kurelek paints the present life of Canada with the same pleasure he painted the old.
Ages 12 to 17
Arts Education - Visual Arts
Geography - Territory: Agricultural
Social Studies - Social History
After viewing the film, generate a discussion about William Kurelek’s paintings as a reflection of his life experiences as both a Ukrainian immigrant and farmer’s son. Peruse examples from his body of work that suggest that he is an untrained painter. Show how the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” can be applied to Kurelek’s paintings. Additional information about William Kurelek may be found at this website.