"Anyone of anykind who has to her credit what are, or really seem to be, great achievements, and who cares for truth and goodness, ought to write the story of her life in her own hand; but no-one should embark on such a splendid undertaking before she is over forty."  -Benvenuto Cellini  (1566)

This is the story of a gifted young girl, who started drawing and painting almost as soon as she could hold pencil or brush. Formal art training began when she was 12 years old and continued later at prestigious institutes abroad. Now in her eighties and living in Victoria, British Columbia, Pat Martin Bates is an internationally acclaimed printmaker, with her innovative work represented in galleries and private collections around the world.

The artist's memories vividly recreate details of her early life in New Brunswick. Taking place before, during and after World War II, when Moncton was a hub for the transport of allied troops, the story also gives a fresh perspective on this important period in Canadian history.

Illustrated with family photographs, and childhood drawings and paintings never before shown in public, the book offers insights to the techniques and imagery of her later work.

About the Authors:

Born in 1927, acclaimed artist Pat Martin Bates was raised in New Brunswick; she received her early art training there and later at art institutes at Belgium, France and the U.S.A.

Her innovative methods of textured and perforated printmaking have been honoured with numerous awards; her work is represented in public and private collections around the world.

As professor at the University of Victoria, she was recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award and of an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Joan Coldwell, a former professor of English and Women's Studies, is the founder and publisher of award-winning Hedgerow Press.