Humphrey, Jack, 1901-1967 : Jack Weldon Humphrey was born in St. John, New Brunswick on January 12, 1901, the son of Charles Percy and Nellie Alberta (Weldon) Humphrey. He became interested in art as a child, but when he enrolled at Mount Allison University in 1917, he intended to be a writer. Humphrey's university career, however, was cut short due to illness, and he left Mount Allison in 1918. Determining that he wanted to become an artist, Humphrey began studying with Paul Hale at the Boston Museum School in 1920, and in 1924 he transferred to the National Academy of Design in New York. Humphrey's five years at the National Academy of Design were particularly important in terms of his relationship with Charles Hawthorne. Not only did Humphrey study with Hawthorne in New York, but he also attended the American painter's summer classes at the Cape Cod School of Art in Provincetown, Massachusetts. At Hawthorne's recommendation, Humphrey travelled to Europe in late 1929 to continue his studies in Paris. Humphrey spent several months drawing at the École Grande Chaumière in Paris before heading to Munich to work with Hans Hoffman. After several months in Germany, Humphrey then toured Italy before returning to Paris via Cologne. With final stops in Belgium and Holland, Humphrey arrived back in Saint John in 1930 to find his hometown in the grip of the Great Depression. Although Humphrey had thought about moving to New York or another major urban centre to pursue his art career, he determined that the financial climate dictated remaining in Saint John. Subsequently, Humphrey decided to stay in Saint John for most of his long career except for trips to Vancouver (1933), Mexico (1938), and Paris (1952-54). Humphrey participated in numerous exhibitions across Canada, and he was affiliated with several important artistic organizations including the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, the Canadian Group of Painters, the Canadian Society of Graphic Art, and the Contemporary Arts Society (Montreal). In 1966 the National Gallery mounted a major retrospective exhibition of Humphrey's work. Humphrey died of a heart attack in Saint John on March 23, 1967, as this exhibition was touring Canada.
