Biography

Ted Radema (1931-)

Born in the Netherlands. Immigrated to Canada in 1953.

Source: https://app.pch.gc.ca/application/aac-aic/artiste_detailler_bas-artist_detail_bas.app?rID=54462&pID=865&lang=en&qlang=fr&fID=2&ps=50&sort=AM_ASC

From an article on Simcoe.ca by Barry Advance https://www.simcoe.com/things-to-do/water-is-a-source-of-inspiration-for-lifelong-painter/article_d264e1f6-595a-571e-9c75-884d4dbd8d6c.html:

"Ted began painting at the age of six and continued his art while growing up in Holland.

He recalls being taken to the office by his Grade 2 teacher to show the principal a particularly good portrait he had completed. He said he was generally encouraged by his teachers and his family to nurture his natural artistic ability.

"My parents encouraged me but when it came time for me to go to the academy they said no," said Ted.

He said his parents discouraged him from going to the art academy for his postgraduate studies because there was no money in art so instead he trained to be a draftsman.

Ted came to Canada in 1953. He was 22.

Desperate for a job, Ted said he applied to be an office boy.

"He took pity on me and hired me," recalls Ted.

Being too old to be an office boy, they put him on the drafting board where he worked on electrical engineering drawings for a large consulting engineering firm in Niagara Falls.

He worked his way up through the company doing graphic design and eventually became art director.

In 1965, Ted took a job teaching high school in a newly developed technical skills school program, the impetus for the first vocational colleges in Ontario.

He retired 11 years later at the age of 55 to dedicate more time to his painting.

Ted met Susan at that school, where she taught drama and English. She said Ted convinced her to retire when he did and they opened an art gallery outside Ottawa.

Ted said it was Susan who pointed out that many of his paintings depicted water.

Although his boyhood home wasn't particularly close to the North Sea, the ocean was a theme of life in Holland and his family traveled to the seaside often.

Ted said he has also done quite a bit of traveling elsewhere and is always inspired by water."