1933-2001 → John K. Esler was a dynamic force in Canadian printmaking, known for his irreverent, experimental approach and his dedication to expanding the creative boundaries of the medium. Deeply rooted in a Dadaist sensibility, Esler’s work often blended humor, critique, and the unexpected, encouraging both himself and his students to approach art with curiosity and openness. His celebrated series Relics of the Twentieth Century exemplifies this ethos, transforming discarded objects—such as a squashed lunch box or a flattened television chassis—into striking relief prints. Esler embraced a wide range of techniques including etching, engraving, silkscreen, and photographic processes, always seeking to challenge conventions and provoke new ways of seeing. His innovative practice and fearless experimentation earned him a national and international reputation as a visionary printmaker and educator.
Born in Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Esler studied at the University of Manitoba’s School of Art, where he graduated in 1960 and completed a Bachelor of Education in 1962. After traveling in Europe, he began teaching at the Alberta College of Art and Design in 1964 and later joined the University of Calgary in 1968, where he remained until his retirement in the 1980s. A central figure in Calgary’s arts community, Esler played a major role in expanding printmaking programs at both institutions. In collaboration with artist Ken Webb, he co-founded Trojan Press, a vital resource for local printmakers. His work was exhibited widely across Canada and internationally, and he is represented in numerous public and private collections. Esler’s contributions to the arts were recognized with several prestigious awards, including the C.W. Jefferys Award from the Canadian Society of Graphic Arts and the G.A. Reid Memorial Award from the Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers.
For all you deep art divers out there.
Tate Museum article on the Dada Movement
Relief Printing explained
Alberta College of Art & Design (now Alberta University of the Arts), 2023 exhibition – John K. Esler: the art of multiples, prints from 1969-1995
More information on Trojan Press co-founder Ken Webb
The Canadian Art Preservation Foundation posts short biographies and information on artists and artwork from its collection in a not-so-subtle attempt to capture your attention and interest in our mission, but we also just want to keep this artwork in view. We are excited about the art we collect and want to share it with you. CAPF is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the artwork of Canada’s superstar artists for future generations to examine, study and exhibit – the ones you know and the ones you might not know so well. We accept artwork, journals, notes, letters, exhibition catalogues and anything else that might comprise a visual and/or intellectual “portrait” (ahem, please pardon the pun) of a particular artist.
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