Dawn MacNutt
Dawn MacNutt (born 1937) is a Canadian artist from Nova Scotia.
Early life and education
Dawn MacNutt was born in 1937 in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Her father was a welder, and her mother a schoolteacher.[1] When MacNutt was nine years old, her mother contracted diptheria, and her father subsequently had an affair and left the family.[1] This caused her mother to become deeply depressed, resulting in a turbulent homelife; by the time MacNutt was 15 years old, she had moved 18 times. To cope with the hardships, she cultivated an active imagination, and relied on the support of her close friends. Her mother eventually recovered and began working as a kindergarten teacher.[1]
MacNutt began taking private art lessons while attending high school. After graduating, she earned a degree in Fine Arts from Mount Allison University, followed by a major in psychology in 1957.[1] After finishing her education, she married and had three children, while employed as a social worker and counsellor. During the 1958 Springhill mining disaster, MacNutt was there as a helper.[1]
Art career
MacNutt started learning to weave while attending Mount Allison, taking courses through the university's craft division. She eventually acquired a loom and began creating tapestries and wall hangings out of her home.[1] She continued to advance in her craft by taking courses in traditional weaving and basketry and becoming involved in local arts organizations.[1] She also learned from the American textile designer Jack Lenor Larsen, with whom she became friends. Larsen travelled to Halifax to discuss textile arts and subsequently invited MacNutt to New York to connect with other artists. During this visit, she met the artist Lenore Tawney, whose work significantly influenced MacNutt's transition to creating sculptures using weaving techniques.[1]
A fabric sculpture by MacNutt was exhibited internationally for the first time in 1985 at the 12th International Biennale of Tapestry in Lausanne, Switzerland. Following this exhibition, she began travelling regularly to showcase her work in Canada, the United States, and internationally.[1]
Publications
- MacNutt, Dawn (2025). Timeless Forms. Fredericton, N.B.: Goose Lane Editions. ISBN 978-1-8945-1882-6. Search this book on
References
Citations
Sources
- Adsett, Marie (13 May 2023). "Copper bandits make off with valuable sculptures, says Pictou artist". CBC News. Nova Scotia: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Bailey, Mitchell (12 May 2023). "'It's a real shame': 'Life-sized' art stolen from celebrated sculpture artist". Global News. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- [The Canadian Press] (13 May 2023). "Nova Scotia artist believes wire sculptures were stolen from her property for copper". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Hujer, Elaine (21 May 1999). "Breaking down crafts-art barriers". The Hamilton Spectator. p. 78. Retrieved 8 October 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- Jardine, Jackie (12 July 2024). "Sculptor Dawn MacNutt answers the call for art". PNI Atlantic News. Pictou, N.S.: Postmedia Network. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Jordan, Sarah (23 May 2023). "Dawn MacNutt - Behind the artwork". PNI Atlantic News. New Glasgow, N.S.: Postmedia Network. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- MacEachern, Rosalie (22 May 2019). "Among Friends: Artist Dawn MacNutt has been driven to create". PNI Atlantic News. New Glasgow, N.S.: Postmedia Network. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Plowman, Sarah (3 March 2022). "Statue in a Halifax park pays tribute to Ukrainian history". CTV News. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Pope, Doug (June 2011). "Dawn MacNutt: Figures of Mystery" (PDF). Hantsport, N.S.: Robert Pope Foundation. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- Rafelman, Rachel (16 December 1993). "Joan Chalmers' Kindred Spirits". The Globe and Mail. p. 69. Retrieved 8 October 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- [VANS] (2025). "Dawn MacNutt". Halifax, N.S.: Visual Arts Nova Scotia. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- [X-FM] (22 September 2025). "New Exhibition by Pictou County Artist Dawn MacNutt Opens at St. FX Art Gallery". 98.9 X-FM. Antigonish, N.S.: Atlantic Broadcasters Ltd. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
External links
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