MacGregor Hone

About the Artist

McGregor Hone can be described as an artist, scholar, teacher and activist who enjoyed life’s journey during his eighty-seven years. He was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in 1920 and his love of art was apparent as early as the late 1930’s when he became active in the Saskatoon Arts Association.

Hone’s formal training in art took place in Saskatoon, where in 1941 he received a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate in Education from the University of Saskatchewan. He frequently attended the Emma Lake Artist Workshops, where he was a student of Ernest Lindner, Augustus Kenderdine, Gordon Snelgrove and many other artist-teachers.

During the Second World War Hone welded Victory ships in North Vancouver shipyards and taught at Copper Mountain, a small interior British Columbia mining town. During that time he met and married his wife and fellow artist, Beth Springer (Hone). In 1947 the couple moved back to Saskatchewan. For the following thirty-two years Hone taught high-school art and was instrumental in developing a innovative fine arts program at Central Collegiate in Regina, Saskatchewan. Hone was an exceptional teacher and also a strong  advocateAdvocacy is the act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, an idea, or a policy. Active support. This term is often used to refer to efforts to support specific art disciplines, or organizations, etc., as well as of support for the arts in general. Advocates are the ones who promote advocacy! (  for the welfare of teachers through his involvement in the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation and the Superannuated Teachers of Saskatchewan.

Throughout his life Hone made art. Journalist Anne Kyle cites Hone’s son David as saying, ”…dad was interested in a myriad of topics, such as music, philosophy, astronomy, history, archaeology and every aspect of visual art. He was an avid reader and an avid  collectorTo collect is to accumulate objects. A collection is an accumulation of objects. A collector is a person who makes a collection. (  of books and magazines and loved international travel. All these things were reflected in his work.“ (Kyle, 2007)

Hone worked in many two and three-dimensional media, but he is best known for his printmaking, where he carved into wood,  linoleumLinoleum is a durable, washable material formerly used more for flooring as vinyl flooring is used today. It is usually backed with burlap or canvas, and may be purchased adhered to a wooden block. The linoleum can be cut in much the same way woodcuts are produced, however its surface is softer and without grain. Also refers to a print made with this method. Linoleum cuts have been made by Henri Matisse (French, 1869-1954) and Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973).  (  and polystyrene. His works have been shown in numerous galleries and are held in many collections, including the National Gallery of Canada. His painting, By the Radio was the first work collected by the Saskatchewan Arts Board for its permanent  collectionTo collect is to accumulate objects. A collection is an accumulation of objects. A collector is a person who makes a collection. (  in 1950. In 1995 the Arts Board acknowledged Hone with a Lifetime Award for Excellence in the Arts.

Hone’s son-in-law is quoted as saying about Hone, “Mac was very interesting and well-informed and you always knew where you stood with him.” (Kyle, 2007) His character is further revealed in the following statement from his obituary: “ Known for his razor-sharp wit, and wide knowledge, he could be relied on to provide the right quote for every occasion.” (Author unknown, 2007)

Canadian Heritage University of Regina Mackenzie Art Gallery Mendel Art Gallery Sask Learning