I Can Only Paint: The Story of Battlefield Artist Mary Riter Hamilton

Canadian painter Mary Riter Hamilton blazed a trail by painting the First World War graveyards and battlefields in oil and daring to be—unofficially—Canada’s first female war artist. In 1919, just a few months after the armistice, she arrived overseas and worked amid harrowing conditions—inadequate shelter and food, surroundings littered with unexploded shells—and recorded with determination, pride, and grace, the ruins of the war. In some 320 haunting paintings, she captured the emotional landscapes and destroyed sites where Canadian soldiers had fought. Check out this press release to learn more. 

Join us for a webinar on June 23rd with Dr. Irene Gammel, author of I Can Only Paint: The Story of Battlefield Artist Mary Riter Hamilton, and Professor of Arts, Literature and Communication at Ryerson University and Director of the Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre. This session will be moderated by Dr. Geoff Bird, Professor in the School of Communication & Culture and Research lead for Royal Roads University’s War Heritage Research Initiative.

Dr. Irene Gammel will speak about the extraordinary life of this long-forgotten Canadian artist, discussing how her paintings render powerful meanings as acts of witnessing. She will give insight into her own travels to Vimy Ridge, the Somme, and Flanders, ending her talk with a brief reading from her new book on the topic.

We encourage you to register even if you’re unable to attend. Everyone who registers will receive a link to the webinar recording.

Please note - the event time is 1-2:30 pm, but your confirmation email may say differently. We are working on getting this issue fixed. Thank you!