Monday, October 5, 2009

The Artist and the Colonel



This is the story of a loving marriage between two strong-minded, accomplished and well-known Nova Scotians. The artist, Mabel Killam Day, made her name as a Canadian painter, and her popularity continues to grow. The Colonel, Frank Parker Day, was a celebrated Canadian novelist (his novel, Rockbound, published in 1929, was chosen by the CBC as their best read of 2007). He was also a Rhodes Scholar, Colonel of the Cape Breton Highlanders (WWI) and college president in the USA. This book chronicles the couple’s struggles to make a living with their art, and their many accomplishments. It is heavily illustrated with black and white photos as well as a selection of Mabel's paintings in full colour. Alex Colville, the renowned painter, who knew both Mabel and Frank, has written a short preface.

Mabel Killam Day encouraged Bill Crowell to study art and Frank Parker Day knew him as an infantry veteran and urged him towards teaching and writing.

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