Erik: A Tribute

I would like to thank the Latvian National Federation of Canada for hosting the memorial art show for my parents at the Latvian Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto this spring, and all the guests that attended. Erik was a founding member. I would especially like to thank my dear brother Uga for his unrelenting devotion in taking care of our parents in the late years.  Uga also staged the memorial art show in Toronto.

Erik Dzenis center 

Alex, Andrew, a portrait Erik painted 50 years ago

A sketch of George Ballenchine, Director of the New York City Ballet and founder of The American
School of Ballet.

Erik Dzenis
When Erik was working as a commercial artist at TDF, he offered to paint one of his world famous life size oil portraits to anyone who gave up smoking.  One friend succeeded and got the portrait; Ron Curtis.  Hopefully now people will understand where my passion came from in my attempts to warn people about toxic food: sugar and wheat gluten.

Oil portrait of the Chairman of the Board for the Princess Margret Hospital in Toronto.  Erik painted portraits of most of the past executives at the hospital

Erik painted in the style of the old world masters. Realism is only a technique, it is not art; stylization is what makes great art.  A detail from an oil portrait

Rudolf Nureyev and Karen Kain

We are grateful to the Latvian National Federation of Canada for inviting our family to be included in the yearly photograph.  Erik was a founding member, he lived to see his life's goal,  to see Latvia freed from Communist oppression. I got my fighting spirit from my father. The battle is not over.