The Symons Trail

Additional Information

Bohemian Waxwing 1962 watercolour on paper

This historical trail follows three generations of an English family of painters, focussing primarily on the life and work of Robert David Symons (1898 - 1973) a well-known cowboy and rancher, painter, a writer of personalized novels, illustrator and naturalist. Also included in The Symons Trail are works by his father, William Symons and Dr. Martyn Symons, a nephew of Robert Symons. Symons emigrated to Maple Creek in 1914 when he was sixteen years old. After serving in the Canadian Armed Services in World War I, he returned to the West where he worked as a cowboy and game warden. Symons painted all of his life and, although he never had formal training, he was raised in a family of painters and musicians. Symon's art is a personal account of his experiences with nature and rural life. Much of his work was done specifically for his publications. His earliest published work included two ornithological pamphlets that he illustrated for sale at the Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History. Of his many books, Hours and the Birds - A Saskatchewan Record is acknowledged as his best, for its Audobon-like illustrations and anecdotal style of writing. Many of his illustrated books are in the Regina Public Library Collection. Presented with the financial assistance of the Saskatchewan Arts Board.