UNews - Jim Coutts

Power Corporation of Canada, Canada Life gift to support scientific discovery at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 16:12:39 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is pleased to announce that Power Corporation of Canada, together with Canada Life, is continuing its longstanding support of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a multi-faceted gift supporting scientific discovery and liberal education.

The donation, which totals $400,000 between the two organizations, includes $250,000 from Power Corporation and an additional $150,000 from Canada Life. The Power Corporation gift includes support to the Dr. Jim Coutts Prairie Research Program, a research program headed by U of L biologist Dr. Roy Golsteyn, and towards the development of a flexible lab and makerspace within the new Science Commons building.

The Canada Life gift also supports the Science Commons spaces and the valuable infrastructure that will allow U of L faculty and students to break boundaries with this unique and innovative research.

“At Canada Life, we believe education opens doors to the future. We’ve been a longtime supporter of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and we’re pleased our funding can help bring the Science Commons to life,” says Paul Mahon, chief executive officer, Canada, at Canada Life. “The space is purposefully built to bring students of all ages together to learn from each other, experts and innovative programs, as well as support important research. We know this flexible lab and makerspace is a valuable addition to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and will be a great asset to the community for years to come.”

Golsteyn’s project is specific to southern Alberta and born of the close relationship the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has had with the traditional Blackfoot territory on which it is situated, and the Blackfoot people. It’s a relationship that was also important to Dr. Jim Coutts (LLD ’12), whose generous gift of his homestead property led to the establishment of the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage in June 2011.

Coutts had a passion for the ecosystem of Western Canada and, in particular, the preservation and propagation of Western Canadian native prairie grasses. Golsteyn’s lab has become a space for students from the Blackfoot community who wish to use scientific approaches to study plants they may already know by Traditional knowledge or by knowledge from Blackfoot elders. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is an excellent place to foster different ways of viewing prairie plants and their impact on human cells, and specifically cancer cells.

“It is astonishing that, even in the 21st century, we are only beginning to realize that plants from the Alberta prairies contain chemicals of medical importance,” says Golsteyn. “This funding will continue to support our students and our research as we investigate these plants, seeking the chemicals that may lead to new and better treatments for eradicating cancer.”

“Power Corporation of Canada believes that leading-edge research and great educators change lives for the better and improve our communities,” mentions Paul Genest, senior vice-president, Power Corporation of Canada. “That is why we are so pleased to support the Dr. Jim Coutts Prairie Research Program, and to partner with Canada Life in support of the Science Commons Flexible Lab Space here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Dr. Golsteyn are to be commended for their commitment to scientific innovation, using an approach that is respectful of indigenous knowledge and our Canadian ecological and cultural heritage.”

The investments are part of the U of L’s SHINE campaign and highlight the relationship with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s corporate partners and their support of a knowledge-driven future where faculty and students work to discover new solutions to perplexing problems and enabling positive change.

“We’re extremely grateful to Power Corporation of Canada for recognizing the incredible potential of Dr. Golsteyn’s project and how their support will push this research forward while empowering the next generation of scientific leaders, and to Canada Life for their support of Science Commons, which is changing the way we engage science students and the community at the U of L,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, the U of L’s president and vice-chancellor.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s SHINE campaign continues to garner unprecedented donor support and has currently raised $88 million toward its $100-million goal.

Annual En Plein Air art exhibition largest yet with over 140 original works

trevor.kenney — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 18:56:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Gallery continues the en plein air tradition, the act of creating art outdoors, inviting artists to the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage monthly from May through September. Inspired by the stunning garden property, located near Nanton, the largest number of participating artists have contributed the largest number of artworks for thesixth annual En Plein Air exhibition, opening at the Dr. James Foster Penny Building, Saturday, Nov. 30, with an opening reception from 3-5 p.m.

The largest number of participating artists have contributed the largest number of artworks for the sixth annual En Plein Air exhibition.

The 2019 En Plein Air art exhibition, running November 30 through December 20, will feature the largest number of works since its inception, with 43 artists contributing 144 pieces.

“The En Plein Air exhibition continues to demonstrate increasing strength and quality as a group exhibition while attracting new participants and submissions from southern Alberta and BC artists,” says Jon Oxley, Art Gallery administrative manager. “The Coutts Centre gardens and buildings keep changing each year, and the artists keep finding new themes and focus all around its lush 12 acres.”

New to the exhibition this year is photography by Morton Molyneaux, who used an ancient Brownie camera, and did his own platinum and palladium photographic processing, with very unique results. There is a ceramic model of the Camera Obscura located on the property, featuring a light-powered occulus requiring the viewer to peer into the ceramic silo. There’s a large bowl of giant ceramic seeds, and the largest painting ever submitted to the En Plein Air exhibition, a Gainsborough-like garden setting with a cellist in the foreground.

Donated to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2011, the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage has become a living classroom where students, faculty and visitors can make use of the natural setting to study the history, artwork, ecosystems and geography associated with the area.

“Dr. Jim Coutts believed strongly in supporting the arts,” explains Oxley. “It’s an honour to help continue his legacy by inviting artists to his property each summer and seeing their work exhibited soon after.”

Co-sponsored by the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage, En Plein Air opens with a reception on Saturday, Nov. 30, 3-5 p.m. in the Penny Gallery. The exhibition, running until Dec. 20, is open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Auction of the late Dr. Coutts's personal items to benefit Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage

trevor.kenney — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 20:36:36 +0000

The late Dr. Jim Coutts (LLD ’12) left a legacy to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge with the establishment of the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage, and now, that legacy will endure thanks in part to an auction of Coutts’s personal items in support of the Coutts Centre.

The late Dr. Jim Coutts was a southern-Alberta based art collector and philanthropist who made his mark professionally and politically as the former secretary and advisor to two Canadian Prime Ministers (Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau).

In 2010, Coutts donated his family homestead outside of Nanton, Alta. to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to establish the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage. He also donated a significant portion of his personal art collection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Gallery. This gift currently numbers over 300 pieces that are a part of the collection and is a much-cherished resource for the students of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the people of southern Alberta.

Prior to his passing on December 31, 2013, Coutts had expressed his desire that items remaining from his personal collection of art and furnishings that were not given to the U of L Art Gallery be publicly auctioned, with the proceeds going to support the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage.

One of the pieces available for auction.

“Jim entrusted the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a significant part of his life's work and passion by gifting his art collection and family homestead in Nanton to the stewardship and care of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon. “We were humbled to receive that gift at the time and remain grateful to Jim for leaving such a legacy to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the expressed desire to see it benefit Canadians. This auction will further that vision.”

Jim Coutts was a southern-Alberta based art collector and philanthropist who made his mark professionally and politically as the former secretary and advisor to two Canadian Prime Ministers (Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Trudeau).

The auction will be conducted online from Oct. 6 to 18, 2014 by Levis Fine Art Auctions & Appraisals. It will feature more than 200 pieces from Coutts’s collection, including paintings, prints, sculptures, photography and a collection of over 40 unique and unusual walking sticks and canes. A live auction of select items will then take place in Calgary on November 23, 2014.

“Jim’s life was one that was well-lived and the items available for auction represent the many aspects of his vibrant character,” says Mahon. “He truly was a one-of-a-kind individual and an iconic Canadian. We’re very grateful to have had such a great relationship with him.”

Coutts never failed to express his affinity for his hometown of Nanton and the southern Alberta area, and upon reflection, recognized how it shaped his art collection.

“Part of the landscape you know as a youth travels with you – and part of you always remains in your home landscape. That was my experience of southwest Alberta – especially the Porcupine Hills,” Coutts once wrote in an essay on collecting for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. “There is a German expression, “Heimweh”, which translates as “home pain”. It is more than home-sickness – it is the profound and lasting longing in the stranger to be home – a feeling that over the years gave much substance to works of art and song. The works that I’ve collected along the way usually reflect my “home pain”.

For more on the Coutts art auction, visit the Levis Fine Art Auctions & Appraisals website.

For additional information on the life of Jim Coutts, visit the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage website.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ saddened by passing of Jim Coutts

trevor.kenney — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 17:42:27 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community offers its deepest condolences to the friends and family of Dr. James Allan Coutts (LLD 2012) who passed away peacefully in Toronto on December 31, 2013.

"Jim Coutts was an incredibly generous person and an outstanding Canadian who made great contributions in public life to our country and was incredibly generous and supportive of our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. We will miss him greatly," says Dr. Mike Mahon, President and Vice-Chancellor.

Jim Coutts was an icon in Canadian political circles.

"Jim entrusted the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a significant part of his life's work and passion through gifting his art collection and family homestead in Nanton to the stewardship and care of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. We were humbled to receive that gift at the time and remain grateful to Jim for leaving such a legacy to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the expressed desire to see it benefit Canadians. Jim was very interested in the continued success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and dedicated significant amounts of his time in recent years connecting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to others and sharing the story of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge flag has been lowered to half mast in Jim's honour.

Coutts, James Allan, C.M. - Passed away peacefully on December 31, 2013 after a long illness bravely fought. Survived by his sister Jean (Wayne) Moore, his nephews Greg (Cathrine) and Michael (Yehudit), his nieces Pat (Owen) and Laurie, his great nieces and nephews Heather, Jessica, Darren, Liam and Emily.

Jim had a tremendous gift in friendship and will be sorely missed by his many close friends across Canada, in the United States and throughout Europe, and by his devoted assistants Anne Drakes and Sukhlal Patel.

Coutts was most at peace while walking the gardens of his homestead property in Nanton.

Born in High River, Alberta, on May 16, 1938, to Ewart and Alberta (Allan) Coutts, Jim grew up in his beloved Nanton. He received a BA and LLB from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Though he practised as a lawyer and business consultant, his great love since the age of 14 was politics in general and the Liberal Party of Canada in particular. From 1963 to 1966 he was Appointment Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson. From 1975 to 1981 he served as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

From 1970 to 1975, Jim was a Founding Partner, Canada Consulting Group, where he helped Maurice Strong organize the Stockholm Environment Conference and establish the UN’s Environment headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1982 he became a principal of Lowther Consultants Limited and subsequently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CIC Canadian Investment Capital Limited.

Jim’s business success seemed merely a means by which he could undertake his highly activist philanthropy as a generous donor, a relentless fundraiser and a dedicated mentor to countless young people and more than 17 god children. Jim served with exceptional distinction as a founder and chairman of the Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific Foundation Board; a co-founder with The Writers’ Trust of Canada of the W.O. Mitchell Literary Prize for Writers and Mentors; a director of The Hospital for Sick Children Board and Foundation for 17 years; a National Chair of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, where he took the lead in organizing two campaigns that raised over $700 million for conservation in Canada; and a member of the board of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

In recognition of his service to others and to his country, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2001. In 2012 he donated his family homestead, which he so passionately restored to renowned gardens with native grasses, to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. In addition, Jim donated more than 300 works of art to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Later he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Jim was a man of many interests. He was a voracious reader and art collector, an avid bird-watcher and gardener, a keen traveler and essayist, a family historian and social analyst. Though he failed in his attempts to become a Member of Parliament, his wise counsel was constantly sought by prime ministers, federal and provincial MPs and party officials to his very last days. He was an unfailing advocate for social justice, education and youth employment. Jim was a true and giving friend to many, from all walks of life, who will miss his stories, his wit, his knowledge, his guidance and his loyalty.

Celebrations of Jim’s life – both in Toronto and in Nanton, Alberta, will be announced at a later date.

Coutts Centre Community Open House

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 15:52:21 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, together with Dr. Jim Coutts, invites you to explore the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage at a Community Open House on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

The Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage is located near Nanton, Alta.

The Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage offers visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience a traditional homestead property in the foothills of southern Alberta.

Take advantage of the opportunity to visit this unique property, developed by Coutts, a southern Alberta-based art collector, political advisor and philanthropist. Coutts formally turned over his homestead property and a significant portion of his art collection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Formal tours will not be offered but maps will be available on site.

Directions from Nanton, Alta.:

1. Turn east off Hwy 2 on to Provincial Road 533. This intersection is across from the Ranchland Motel at the north end of the community.

2. Follow Provincial Road 533 east out of town, past the Nanton Golf Club, to Range Road 280.

3. Turn left (north) on Range road 280.

4. Travel north on Range Road 280 approximately 4km (cross Township road 164).

5. Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage is located on the west side of Range Road 280. Look for a small house, a series of low outbuildings and a stone fence on the south side of the property.

6. Parking is somewhat limited near the homestead. You may have to park on the side of the road near the lane entrance.

Coutts Centre hosting Open House

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:11:51 +0000

The Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage is opening its doors to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community this weekend.

Located near Nanton, Alta., the Coutts Centre will be open to members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community on Sunday, July 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for drop-in style, self-guided tours of the property.

Dr. Jim Coutts (LL.D. '12), a southern Alberta-based art collector, political advisor and philanthropist, formally turned over his family homestead property and a significant portion of his art collection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge last summer.

Since then, the Coutts Centre has played host to numerous horticultural groups, community members and organizations with an interest in prairie art, history or land preservation.

The more than 100-year-old property once belonged to Coutts's grandfather and is comprised of a quarter section of land, the original (now restored) homestead, extensive gardens and restored outbuildings.

"Gardens really don't belong to you," Coutts said of his decision to donate the property to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "You may as well make it a public place where people can come, freely wander around and experience it. It's your garden, but in fact, nobody really owns their garden. You create a garden, but it is there for everybody."

To experience the Coutts Centre for yourself, follow these simple directions:

Travelling on Highway #2, heading northbound (to Calgary):

1. Turn east off Hwy 2 on to Provincial Road 533. This intersection is across from the Ranchland Motel at the north end of Nanton.

2. Follow Provincial Road 533 east, past the Nanton Golf Club to Range Road 280

3. Turn left (north) on Range Road 280 (gravel road)

4. Travel North on Range Road 280 approximately 4 km (cross Township road 164)

5. The property is located on the left (west) side of the road. Look for a number of rustic outbuildings.

For more on the Coutts gift, follow this link.

2012 Honorary Degree recipients

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:32:47 +0000

The 2012 Honorary Degree Recipients

JIM COUTTS

Jim Coutts has made significant contributions to Canada, through his public service, conservation efforts and philanthropy, and to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, to which his donations include over 200 pieces for the Art Gallery and a homestead property near Nanton, Alta.

Coutts has had a fruitful career in law, business and public service, and served as Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, Lester B. Pearson in 1963. He was also the Principal Secretary to Pierre Trudeau during his tenure as Prime Minister, spending six years in this role.

In 2011, Coutts donated to the U of L the land homesteaded by his grandfather, near Nanton. This land brings a major opportunity for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to develop its programming and community connections.

PATRICK O'FARRELL

One of the founders of modern molecular biology, Patrick O'Farrell introduced technical innovations that revolutionized the study of proteins and made the use of proteins in medical diagnostics possible.

In 1969, while a graduate student pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry in Colorado, O'Farrell thought of using separations in two dimensions to resolve complex mixtures of proteins on electrophoretic gels. While his goal was to follow molecular events during the embryogenesis of the particular alga that he was studying, the 2-D gel electrophoresis technique that he developed could be applied to protein mixtures from any source. While still a student he prepared a paper describing this method. This paper is now the sixth most cited paper in biology and chemistry.

RICHARD DAVIDSON

The 11th Chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Richard Davidson represented the institution with pride, emphasizing its connections with the community.

Davidson's first formal appointment with the U of L was with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Senate in 1983. He served as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Senator for two terms (eight years), becoming the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Chancellor in 2007, a position he held until 2011. During this time he tirelessly and proudly represented the institution, presiding over many Convocation ceremonies.

Davidson has also been a valuable community volunteer, working for several organizations and supporting many charitable causes. As a volunteer he has worked for, among others, the Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation, the Kinsmen Club of Lethbridge, the Regional Hospital Foundation, and the United Way. In 2010, he was recognized by the local Rotary Club as the Lethbridge Citizen of the Year and was named by Alberta Venture as one of the 50 most influential people in the province.

PETE STANDING ALONE

A respected Blood Tribe Elder, Pete Standing Alone is a teacher, cultural guide and leader who has been an integral part of the U of L's commitment to Aboriginal education.

He is committed to maintaining and promoting the traditions of his people, and has served as a cultural advisor to several organizations and to Red Crow Community College. At the U of L, Standing Alone has led the opening ceremonies of Native Awareness Week for several years. He is consulted by the Blackfoot people on all aspects of traditional and contemporary Blackfoot culture, including ceremonies, sacred societies, protocol, education, history and social and cultural issues.

A traditional Blackfoot Knowledge Keeper and educator for over 50 years, Standing Alone continues to devote his time and energy to his community and to serving as a role model for others.

This story first appeared in the May issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Senate approves honorary degrees

trevor.kenney — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:46:02 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate has approved the granting of five Honorary Degrees at the 2012 Spring and Fall Convocation ceremonies.

Spring Convocation, May 31 – June 1, 2012

Ceremony 1 – Pete Standing Alone – Doctor of Laws
Ceremony 2 – Dr. Patrick O'Farrell – Doctor of Science
Ceremony 3 – Jim Coutts – Doctor of Laws
Ceremony 4 – Richard Davidson – Doctor of Laws

Fall Convocation, October 13, 2012

Dr. Bill Cade – Doctor of Laws

Pete Standing Alone, Doctor of Laws
Ceremony I, Thursday, May 31

A respected Blood Tribe Elder, Pete Standing Alone is a teacher, cultural guide, and leader who has been an integral part of the U of L's commitment to Aboriginal education. Standing Alone is strong proponent of preserving the Blackfoot culture. His life has been chronicled in a National Film Board Documentary trilogy, spanning 1960 to 2010.

Patrick O'Farrell, Doctor of Science
Ceremony II, Thursday, May 31

One of the founders of modern molecular biology, Patrick O'Farrell's discoveries have had dramatic impacts on biological science and have made the use of proteins in medical diagnostics possible. He is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of California, San Francisco. Among other projects, he developed 2-D gel electrophoresis, which has become a routine technique for protein separation and analysis.

Jim Coutts, Doctor of Laws
Ceremony III, Friday, June 1

Jim Coutts is a lawyer, businessman, and former advisor to two Prime Ministers who has made significant contributions to Canada through his public service, conservation efforts and philanthropy, including the development and funding of Lester B. Pearson United World College. At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Coutts has supported the Art collection and, most recently gifted his family homestead property near Nanton, Alberta.

Richard Davidson QC, Doctor of Laws
Ceremony IV, Friday, June 1

The 11th Chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Richard Davidson represented the institution with pride, emphasizing its connections with the community, and has served as president or chairman on many local organizations and charities. Davidson has received many awards and accolades, including Lethbridge Citizen of the Year and a place on the Alberta Venture 50 most Influential People list.

William H. Cade, Doctor of Laws
Fall Convocation, Saturday, October 13

President and chief ambassador of the U of L for ten years, Bill Cade oversaw the development of many initiatives including a rapid increase in students, growth in research, growth of graduate-level education, and the largest fundraising campaign to date. As well, Cade strengthened community relations at local, provincial, national, and international levels.

Gift launches Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage

trevor.kenney — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:17:36 +0000

Jim Coutts, a southern Alberta-based art collector, political advisor and philanthropist, has formally turned over his homestead property and a significant portion of his art collection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

On Thursday, June 30, the U of L will formally recognize Coutts for his gift, and launch the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage, located on the more than 100-year-old property that once belonged to Coutts's grandfather.

Jim Coutts shares his homestead property with southern Albertans.

The gift, valued at more than $2 million, is comprised of a quarter section of land, the original homestead, extensive gardens and restored outbuildings, as well as more than 200 items from his personal art collection.

Coutts, whose homestead is located just east of Nanton, Alta., is the former secretary and advisor to two Canadian prime ministers (Pearson and Trudeau). He has travelled extensively and acquired art from around the world, with a large portion of his collection showing a clear western Canadian theme.

He purchased the homestead property in 1988 and has since rebuilt it with extensive gardens, restored farm buildings and plots of native grasses and other plants as a tribute to his family and their struggles as pioneers in a harsh prairie environment.

A noted art collector, Coutts gifted many of his most prized pieces to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"When you look at the place now with the gardens, grasses and trees and the beauty depicted in the photographs and paintings, that's one thing," says Coutts. "But for many years, for those who came first, it was a very difficult and painful place to live."

Follow this link to a flickr gallery of photos of the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage. Watch the video below as Coutts describes his connection to the land and his vision for the Coutts Centre.

The property is very much an expression of Coutts himself. The buildings are scattered across the land and include the original homestead; a chicken house, now a guest suite; a barn; and an old ice house and granary, moved from Coutts's mother's neighbouring property, and which are now used as artists' sanctuaries. Additionally, the landscaping and gardens are structured to welcome visitors and encourage exploration.

"Gardens really don't belong to you," Coutts says of his decision to donate the property to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "You may as well make it a public place where people can come, freely wander around and experience it. It's your garden, but in fact, nobody really owns their garden. You create a garden, but it is there for everybody."

Coutts was born in nearby High River, but grew up in Nanton. "When you grow up someplace, part of you stays there and part of that place goes with you wherever you are," says Coutts. "Wherever I travelled I always thought of Nanton because it was where I was raised, and I always thought of the land, the prairies, the foothills and so I wanted to have some connection with it and that's why I came back."

"People say you can't go back -- you leave someplace, you really can't go back," says Coutts. "You can visit your parents or you can visit your friends but I've just been blessed because I've been able to come back, I've been able to be a part of the community and be here. I feel I belong here and this is part of me."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has asked Coutts to stay involved and to help in the future development of the property.

"The idea is it would be a centre for the visual arts, a centre for horticulture, a centre for prairie restoration and a centre for rural community development," says Coutts. "The development has been a partnership: a partnership with the gardeners, a partnership with the carpenters and the men and women who helped with the restoration, and it's a partnership with my neighbours."

Coutts had been pondering what might happen to the property in the future and, like the many relationships he has developed to create the property, wanted to find a suitable partner to help carry on the work he started.

"The people from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge were prepared to do exactly what I wanted," says Coutts. "They were prepared to keep it going. It was a continuum of what I started, what I was doing and what I wanted to see in the future."

The property enables the U of L to enhance the student experience in ways relevant to the goals and values described within the framework of a liberal education. "Treating the Coutts Centre as a living classroom, students, faculty and visitors will make use of the natural setting to study the history, artwork, ecosystems and geography associated with the area," says U of L President Mike Mahon.

"We are honoured to be entrusted with this incredible property and more than 200 works of art depicting the beauty of the prairie landscape," says Mahon. "As southern Alberta's university, we recognize the great responsibility we have to all those who call the prairies home."

Some of the artwork donated by Coutts has been displayed through curated exhibitions and publications, and objects from the collection have already been made available to students and faculty during the course of their study.

"We are very grateful to have Jim Coutts as a partner as we establish the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage, which will preserve and celebrate the diverse culture that is central to the spirit of the west," says Mahon.

"The opportunities this presents for our students, faculty and the southern Alberta community are extensive, and I know many people will look forward to learning in this remarkable location."

Jim Coutts explores "home pain" and his artistic mission

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:42:07 +0000

When collectors are honest with themselves, they admit that there is neither rhyme nor reason to what they do. In fact they seldom think of themselves as collectors. From time to time they acquire paintings that appeal to them. When they have a few artworks they start to think – what is all this about?

It is only in retrospect that they manage to identify themes that prompted them to acquire in the first place – this is certainly my experience.

There is a German expression, "Heimweh," which translates as "home pain." It is more than home-sickness – it is the profound and lasting longing in the stranger to be home – a feeling that over the years gave much substance to works of art and song.

Margaret Shelton, Farm, 1981 Watercolour on paper | From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of Jim Coutts, 2010.

Part of the landscape you know as a youth travels with you – and part of you always remains in your home landscape. That was my experience of southwest Alberta – especially the Porcupine Hills. Fortunately I have now been able to return here.

The works that I've collected along the way usually reflect my "home pain." One day I lunched with a collector friend in Toronto who said, "There is a painting at the Godard Gallery you should see." I went to see it, liked it (in fact was haunted by it) and eventually bought it.

When I got the painting home I looked on the back of the canvas and saw the title – "Sanfois West of Nanton" by Barbara Ballachey. It was Timber Ridge in the Porcupine Hills – a scene I had seen a hundred times! It is a fine painting but it was the home pain that captured me.

I was fortunate to grow up in the 1950s in Nanton, Alta., with a mentor dedicated to art. Dorothy Dowhan culturally adopted me, and from the age of 12 dragged me along to art shows and concerts in Calgary. Those evening events were often held at the Coste House, a Calgary centre for graphic and performing arts. Later she gave me a small 1958 painting of West Dover, N.S., by John Cook. Soon, armed with that one possession and numerous mental images from years of having looked and looked, I slowly and hesitantly began to acquire art on my own.

I began to meet western artists like Joe Fafard and Janet Mitchell. Janet and I became friends. After acquiring several of her works, I talked her into letting me be her agent, because she found it impossible to set prices on her works – which were getting better and better, while she was selling them for less and less. I soon found myself befriending a number of Canadian dealers who educated and coached me on Canadian art history.

As Janet shared her ideas about art, I began looking at landscape differently and so many of the pieces I collected over the following 50 years were done by Prairie artists, struggling to capture space and light and the wonderful detail of the Canadian Prairies.

Ivan Eyre, Valley River, 2007 Acrylic on canvas | From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of Jim Coutts, 2010.

Janet's landscapes were sometimes called squiggles on a board – but were in fact highly imaginative and she got the prairies exactly right.

Business and politics would keep me travelling for decades. But along the way I made a wonderful discovery. Virtually every village in the world has at least one person drawing, painting, carving – sometimes you have to look hard, but they are there. While travelling I often visited them and began collecting works by local blacksmiths, carpenters, painters, sketchers and sculptors. And in recent years I've come home to discover first-class artists in Nanton, Cayley, Fort Macleod, High River and Claresholm.

So there it is. My "artistic mission" has been a modest but deeply satisfying one: just poking around, meeting some wonderful people and occasionally acquiring artworks I liked. The theme of place clearly seemed to arise again and again in works I acquired, as I tried to deal with the home pain I felt. As a near-neighbour of the U of L I suspect my home pain will be a little less intense now, knowing that these works will be right "at home" here in the Art Gallery of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

UNews - Jim Coutts

Power Corporation of Canada, Canada Life gift to support scientific discovery at ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

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