About: Cynthia Weber

*Years ago my uncle wrote this article showing how he developed a painting. I wanted to include it here in the archives as a research tool.

Bordeaux Morning … How I arrived at the finished version

Step 1  As always, when I start a painting, I tried to establish the big shapes of light and dark, warm and cool. These are almost stained in using a 2 inch brush. I use no drawing. Patches of colour interest me, not lines.

Step 2  Breaking into smaller shapes, establishing better values and putting more power into the darks. I am always working all over the painting trying to keep the focus even.

Step 3  Moving in to establish the figures and also reinforce the contrast between the dark figures and the lighter background. Realizing as I go that this scene is more complex than I first imagined, I start to come to grips with the fact that although the sunlight is coming from the left, the reflected light is coming from the right. Just a heads up to myself.

Step 4  As I refine the figures I start to have doubts about the tangle of bicycles in the front right. Will that become to dominant?????? Leaving the bikes I look to smaller pieces, shapes in the building.

Step 5  I decide to paint out the bicycles in the front. To compensate in the design I introduce a slash of light to the right-hand corner. I hope that it will work. More attention to the tables and chairs is applied. In my attempt to create a strong shadow where the bike is, I fear that I have over egged the custard, so I back that off a bit. Windows are added to the far buildings.

Step 6  General refinement to the buildings at rear as well as to the left corner of the front building. An unease is starting as I wonder if I have enough human activity in the back. I don’t want this piece to become all about the three people in the front.

Step 7  A general tidying up is in order. The fellow on the bike gets some attention as well as the couple at the table in the mid-distance. I added several more figures to draw the eye back into the picture. The chairs and tables get more description. I add the doors at the extreme left to pull the eye forward but not draw much attention. Bits and pieces, such as the red awning on the extreme right, find their way into the piece.

I believe the painting is done but I am always a bit uneasy fearing that I have gone over the top or perhaps have not cleared the jump. I find the process scary and exciting.

Painting for my uncle was like breathing…  it was completely necessary.

I remember him saying that he got a bit testy if he didn’t paint for a few hours each day.

Perhaps it is not surprising then to note that within the five plus decades of his career he continued to develop his work, remaining open to discovery and inspiration as it came.

A bibliophile by nature his studio was not only his working space it also included a large reference library of art history, artists, techniques and books representing various aspects of subject matter used in his work such as horses.

You may have noticed throughout the website alongside most paintings Pete wrote descriptions. Many of these will mention him being inspired by or including aspects of an approach by an artist.

Dramatic Remnants

There are pockets within his catalogue that showcase the stylistic impact some phases of this discovery had on his approach.

One such pocket took hold and bloomed within a very short period between 2014-2015. During this time he was experimenting incorporating aspects of a style developed by Russian/American artist Nicolai Fechin.

The Fechin technique is far more complex in nature both in medium and approach than this synopsis can adequately convey but as a general concept for the purposes of this post I will hone it down thusly.

Beginning with an abstract, Fechin moved a piece toward realism in key areas such as face and hands masterfully developing a finished composition with a centre of focused interest broadening back out to abstract. The effect is bewitching.

Pete speaks of taking inspiration from Fechin’s work when describing several paintings done in this period.

Sister and Brother

Hurry

Finding balance between this inspiration and remaining true to himself, these paintings reflect a creative chapter in his life that I find utterly captivating.

Tree In The Green Wood,   Two Back Lanes

These works done near the end of his life and after the Erb St. Gallery closed were never publicly exhibited and as such many collectors aren’t even aware of their existence.

They are in my opinion, undiscovered treasures.

Log Bridge, White On Green

I have named works done in this style Reverie a nod to the feeling they create in the viewer of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts… rapt in the pleasant interpretive quality of a daydream.

*Currently the Reverie piece titled Sister and brother is available for purchase.

You can available paintings here: Originals for Sale

And to see all the Reverie paintings you can click Here.

For 40 years this building was the home of the Peter Etril Snyder Art Gallery as well as their personal residence for the first ten of those years.

People came to Waterloo to visit the gallery and experience this unique artist owned establishment.

Over the decades the building was extensively renovated to reflect growing needs and public interest in Pete’s work. Several additional locations were also opened over the years but the Gallery located at 59 Erb St. in Waterloo remained the face of the brand and the hub of operations.

In 2009, when Peter was 65 the decision was made to close the Gallery and move everything to an online platform.

Peter Etril Snyder wrote and or illustrated quite a few books throughout his career.

This is not a complete list but does showcase some of the most notable.

Throughout the decades of Pete’s artistic career he developed and employed various signature styles.

By going through thousands of catalogued images I have put together a reference showing examples of the various styles with general timeframes noted as to when the signature style was used.

The earliest paintings on the website date from 1961. There are two signature styles used on those paintings. Here are the examples.

From the years 1961-1973 there are many examples of Pete signing with the second example: SNYDER all upper case letters.

The earliest example I can find (to date) showing Pete signing with his full name is from his art collage days. in 1965. This may not be the only painting from this era that he signed this way but from my research it is the only one on record from 1965.

During 1966 Pete continued using the SNYDER style of signature on the majority of his work. I did find one unusual example from that year with a figured S. To date I have only found one example like this.

1967 signatures remain mostly SNYDER with a few examples of the stacked Peter Etril Snyder style seen above.

1968 was clearly a time that Pete was experimenting with signature styles. Works from this year seem to varying styles including the stacked style, SNYDER and PES as well as a stacked in box style. see examples below.

Paintings from 1969 seem to have mostly been signed with the stacked style although there are some examples of the SNYDER, PES and boxed stacked styles. There is also one example from a self portrait he did where he signed Peter Snyder see example below.

While there are still a few examples of the SNYDER, PES and Boxed Stacked style signatures on paintings catalogued from 1970-1972 works, most pieces done in this era were signed using the stacked style of signature. Pete also began adding the date below the signature around this time.

The Boxed Stacked style signature does not appear to have been used past 1972.

Catalogued paintings from 1973 show the SNYDER, PES and Stacked styles of signatures.

From 1974 onwards the Stacked style signature is used most often with some showing PES usually noting a preliminary work for a larger painting or a study. Although there are some slight variations Pete’s signature seems to remain quite consistent through to the end of his career. I will include a few samples below with dates for reference.

My hope is that this reference is helpful to those interested in learning about Pete’s career. For additional reference, you may also link here to read: Pete’s Biography

Throughout the decades of Pete’s career he was commissioned to do many pieces. Whether corporate or private, every project was undertaken with pleasure.

Although Pete is no longer with us I feel it is very valuable to keep record of how he worked as a reference for future generations.

These commissioned works ranged greatly in price.

In addition to the four basic categories outlined below there were several major works done in mural form. One of the largest murals ever commissioned was the 5’ x 15’ piece titled Spirits of Canada done for the National Trust. In an interview given in 1997 Pete disclosed that the piece sold for $200 000.00.

Throughout his over 50 year career my uncle retained copyright to all of his work including commissioned pieces. In 2016, the year before his death, my uncle transferred his copyright into my hands. It is an honour and a privilege I do not take lightly. To learn more about reproductions and art licensing please follow this link.

Here in Pete’s own words are the basics of how he worked with commissioners.

“Over the years I have painted many commissions and so I’ve developed an easy approach to this process. I wish the person for whom I am creating this work to see the painting as it develops so that I can make sure that I am fulfilling their dream.

Commissions divide into four basic categories. I should stress that each commission I consider on its own merits, realizing that there are many factors that make up the pricing. I welcome the opportunity to talk to you about any idea that you might have for a personal painting. Very often the price and the result are directly related to just how good the photographic information is. Although size is a factor in my pricing approach, I look much more closely at complexity and difficulty.

The first category in the thousand dollar range is what I call a sketch/painting. These paintings are full-colour acrylics produced in a watercolour style. Sometimes I use ink as well as acrylic for these pieces. I would consider producing a sketch/painting from travel photographs provided by the customer.

In the second category, a full-fledged acrylic in a larger format is normally a landscape or perhaps a pet subject. The price tag for this group is approximately $5000.

In the third category in the $10,000 range, the painting is more complex, perhaps having a number of figures or animals set in a landscape. I am well known for historical subjects that would fall into this category. Part of the price for something of this type, whether historical or not, is the need for research. This research often involves archival material and hence takes a good deal of time and effort. Portraits normally fall into this price category.

The fourth category in the $15,000 range normally is a complex painting with many figures, animals, buildings and landscape. For a painting this complicated I prefer to paint in a larger format. In all cases reproductions can be made available.”

This is just a partial listing of commissioned paintings.

Each piece will link through to the details page for further information.

All images on the following list are available for licensing.

Community Service This painting was commissioned by the Waterloo Regional Police, but paid for by the supplier of Harley–Davidson Motorcycles.

Beginning Of Sommers

Schneider House, Kitchener This painting of the historic Joseph Schneider House on Queen Street in Kitchener is a re-creation of those pioneer times when this area was just getting established. My great-great-great grandfather was a brother of Joseph’s.

Aiming For The Future a 1930’s depiction of the 13th hole at Westmount Golf Course Kitchener. Commissioned by the Ross Dixon Organization, this image talks about the need to prepare for the future while enjoying today.

Looking Back Panasonic Canada commissioned commemorative piece to celebrate the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of that company coming to Canada. To show the Japanese-Canadian connection, young hockey players were incorporated into the piece. The setting is Dundas Street in Toronto as it was in the early years of Panasonic in Canada.

Humble Beginnings The employees’ association commissioned this painting to recognize the early days of their employer, Kuntz Electroplating Ltd. Presented at the annual Christmas party to the President, Paul Kuntz, and his brother, the Board Chairman, Robert (Bob) Kuntz, this painting brought forth some tears from the Kuntz brothers. It was emotional because the image shown is the first small plant started by their father. A careful look reveals a football helmet (Bob’s) in the rear window of the green car.

New Beginning I was commissioned by the North Waterloo Farmers Insurance Company to develop a painting for their 125th Anniversary. Part of this piece was painted at the company’s booth at the Royal Winter Fair.

Dancing With Friends at The Millennium This mural was commissioned to celebrate the millennium. It is a large work, 26 feet long, that creates a background for a ballroom in the clients’ house.

Parasaurolophus A commission to portray a landscape of the Cretaceous period that featured the dinosaur, Parasaurolophus. Unusual to say the least, this portrayal of North America shows a time 76 – 55 million years ago. Including troodons and pterodactyls, I composed an animated scene that portrays not only the creatures but also their interaction. Painted over the space of seven weeks, this canvas now occupies a place at the Earth Sciences Museum at the University of Waterloo.

Shantz Homestead The focus of this painting, circa 1920, is the family’s dairy wagon. The site was the homestead on the present Ottawa Street, Kitchener. A big-box centre now replaces this farmyard. It was also important to the family that I include their 1917 Auburn near the house. This painting was made very special for me when the wife of the man who received the painting told me this, “I have been married to this man for well over 60 years and this is only the second time that I have seen him cry.” Clearly this painting brought back many more memories than I could have imagined. I was happy that my piece was so well received as these people have been collectors of my work for over 30 years.

Store; This painting was commissioned by the son of this store-keeper, and was designed to show the humanity of this couple who spent many years tending this cigar store. Located near the Kitchener train station at the corner of Water and Victoria streets, the store really was their home and many friends visited them there.

Isle of Skye This painting was commissioned for a man who flew night missions in W.W. II. His heart is still clearly in Scotland, even though he has lived here all his life. It is not unusual for a person to commission a painting of a personal spot, a dream perhaps.

Elmwood Memories This commissioned painting tells the story of a farm family. A usual Sunday afternoon included a stop at the fields to do a progress report on their cattle. This painting is rather complex because of the inclusion of so many pieces of nostalgia, in addition to the family itself. Clearly this piece, which is very popular, speaks directly to people who were brought up on a farm.

Griffith Island Lighthouse This landmark was part of a set of five paintings commissioned by a member of a sporting club that owns this island in Georgian Bay, not far from Owen Sound, Ontario.

You can link to the page for each plate design above and additionally you can see other proposed plate designs that were not produced by following this link.

My name is Cynthia Weber, My husband Kent and I own and operate Cynthia Weber Design, a custom interiors studio run from our heritage stone home BannockBurn1878 located in the rolling countryside of Huron County. I also have the great pleasure of being a niece of Peter Etril Snyder.

This website is a place to learn about my uncle’s career, view his work and order Family Heritage Edition reproductions.

I have written this post for those interested in learning a bit about who I am, my relationship with my uncle and how our shared interests and kindred connection led to his decision to transfer the copyright to his portfolio into my care in 2016 the year before he died.

It is impossible for me to list all the ways my life was influenced by Pete. From early childhood I found him fascinating and during my teenage years I began to truly appreciate how talented he was as an artist and how entrepreneurial he was by nature. I benefited from spending time with him and my Aunt Marilyn in more ways than I even realize. Several trips to England where we met up with them sparked my interest in the decorative arts and no doubt contributed to my decision to pursue design as a career.

Pete was extremely supportive when I decided to open my design studio. He mentored me and always made me think outside the box, encouraging me to stretch myself, expand my ideas and dream. Pete and I collaborated on a post for my blog in 2013. It was a lot of fun to work together and got us thinking about the future possibilities. You can read that post here.

During this time we were emailing often. A few opportunities presented themselves for possibly using his work in my design projects and this led to discussions about future collaborations. By 2015 he began cc’ing me on emails on his art business dealings. This opened up a new level of mentoring. His willingness to include me in correspondence gave invaluable insights into how he communicated with people and how he ran things.

I should also interject here that my uncle Doug ( brother of Pete and twin of my father ) played a huge role in Pete’s business. Uncle Doug ran the gallery for over 30 years. I can’t tell you how often Pete mentioned to me the importance of the role Doug played. This quote sums it up beautifully and leaves no doubt as to how Pete felt…

“My brother Doug and I worked together for over 30 years. Anyone who dealt with the gallery knows that Doug was the man who ran the day-to-day operations of the place. His steadfast support of my work made it possible for me to focus my attention on painting and not on the very important job of running the gallery. His attention to the customers and to the staff always left me feeling confident that everyone was looked after properly. It is impossible for me to exaggerate the positive effect that Doug’s quiet competent work had on my career. Everyone should have such a brother.”

That quote was from an interview Pete gave around the time he closed the Gallery in 2009.

I believe that this positive and longstanding working relationship with his brother played a very important role in Pete fostering a working relationship with me. This excerpt refers to his thoughts on the matter:

“We have a singular relationship which I value dearly. Very few people are fortunate enough to work with a family member and here I am with a second round of a special family relationship..”

Emailing back and forth with Pete became a very important part of my life… whether we were discussing business or family, going down memory lane or brainstorming about a new idea… it all filled my heart and fuelled my creativity.

We had talked about a host of possibilities for the future. I knew he was thinking about how things would go on once he was gone. He copied me on an email sent to a colleague in the publishing field where he was suggesting he wanted to introduce me to her the next time they met:

“With no kids, I am looking for a safe and interested pair of hands to take over”

My interest in developing my design website and managing my own SM branding intrigued him and in 2016 when his website became out of date and needed redesigning he asked me to step in. He wanted people to have a place to come learn about his career, look at his paintings and read what he had written about each piece. That goal was achieved in the summer of 2016.

Along side the website work I also had been cultivating ideas using Pete’s images on fabric for development into the decorative market. This really intrigued him and there were many emails batting around concepts between us. After some trial and error I settled on a UK company to do the printing. I approached Gresham House Furniture about doing a custom chair using the printed fabric. I also began printing images for custom pillows.

Pete not only supported these explorations into new products he encouraged it. In one email he said

“It is a joy to do stuff with you. I enjoy your energy and ambition and agree with your taste which is clearly paramount.”

Our discussions about fabric design had us both smitten…

To Pete Sept 7/2016 ( FG is a short form of Pete’s lifelong nick name for me… Funny Girl:)

“This fabric development opens up a new way of considering composition as well. Slightly more faded borders …
not using the entire canvas but bleeding out towards the edges gives me interesting options for centring for pillow tops or creating repeats that have those bleeded colours between ? I don’t know if that makes sense?
XO
FG

which garnered this response back:

“That makes total exciting sense!
P”

followed later that day by:

“My thoughts are several. Doing a layout in black and white and then laying several backgrounds with accents might be the way to go.
Leave it with me. This wants more thought. This will be great fun! P”

Over the next few months I would get many emails relating to our new joint venture… His health during this time was declining as it had been for awhile. I know from his correspondence that collaborations over email became highly enjoyable as they provided creative outlet from a relaxed and quiet environment.

”It is impossible to convey how much I enjoy our chats. I hope that I can generate some thoughts and challenges to you. I am always happy to act as a sounding board for you. Since I go out very little now my life has shifted to online. P”

Developments in the fabric arena as well as other concepts we had been discussing led Pete to approach me with an idea. He wanted to transfer the ownership of his copyright to me. I was staggered by the possibilities and also by the responsibility. Pete had spent over 50 years painting. His work had received international success, it crossed decades, continents and captured vividly and beautifully all that ensnared his heart over the course of his life. History will recognize him as a prominent Canadian Painter. Being responsible for how that body of work would be seen and represented in the future both captivated and petrified me… but then I remembered where he started from and the risks he took to pursue his passion. How he wanted his work to bring enjoyment. How he took pleasure in connecting with people and most of all… how even though he achieved great success he never lost sight of those who contributed whether as an employee, peer, friend or customer.

This is what he wanted.

I was the safe and interested pair of hands he had chosen to intrust his catalogue and I was honoured to take on the responsibility.

In late October of 2016 the transfer was completed and I became owner of the copyright to his complete portfolio. We continued to discuss ideas for development of the Art Licensing aspect of his work. He encouraged me to pursue leads in many arenas both innovative and traditional such as prints:

“Funny Girl, 
I have been thinking about finding a name or term for new reproductions. Once I’m dead… Perhaps”estate approved” or something….”heritage something”?
Should the word ” Family” come into the picture?
Pete”

Emails like that were so hard… I honestly couldn’t imagine life without him and even now a year and a half after his passing… I still can’t believe he is gone. I feel his creative energy all around me and his words echo through my mind…

”I will be watching with interest to see how you guys get on. I feel so fortunate that you are interested in my work. I Love you. Pete”

Along with my husband Kent and our son Spencer we look forward to the ongoing development of the Art Licensing Business.

A few days before his death I was talking to Pete about his influence on my life. His response was a reminder of the incalculable bonds of family.  

“Honey,  I believe that I have had an influence on you and I feel so heart warmed by that. I also feel good about my impact on Spencer but remember influence is not a one way street. I am so proud of you and your spirit. Both you and Spencer are outstanding and satisfying your ambition…  We are fortunate to have each other. P”  

Pete says in his autobiography Picture Maker:

“The dictionary defines beauty as those qualities giving pleasure to the mind or the senses. For me, that is what painting is all about.”    

 So, I will end with this…    

Dear Pete, I miss you so very much. Your influence on my life is incalculable and I promise… I will do everything we talked about… I will never stop dreaming and your work will continue inspiring for many generations to come. Thank you for bringing your completely unique beauty to the world. xoxo Funny Girl

July 4/2017 sent to the organizer of an upcoming tribute in his honour at Waterloo Regional Museum. Although Pete could not attend due to his failing health the event was wonderful with many friends speaking about Pete and his contributions to the community as well as his impact in the Art world. Little did we know he would leave us only a few weeks later. 

“My niece, Cynthia has taken over my library of images. My hope is that my work and it’s further application does not die with me.”   Peter Etril Snyder