Maryon Kantaroff


Maryon Kantaroff was a Canadian sculptor known for her large-scale outdoor sculptures in bronze and other materials.

Early life and education

Kantaroff studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and earned a degree in art and archaeology from the University of Toronto in 1957. In 1957–1958 she worked as an assistant curator at the Art Gallery of Ontario. She traveled to London for postgraduate studies in American Ethnology at the British Museum and remained in England for several years, studying with Eric Stanford at Reading College. Her further studies took place at the Sir John Cass College of Art and the Chelsea College of Arts.

Career and impact

In 1962 Kantaroff had her first solo exhibition at the Temple Gallery, London. She returned to Toronto for an exhibition at Toronto City Hall in 1968 and soon thereafter began an association with Galerie Dresdnere, which represented her through the early 1970s. In 1974, frustrated at the lack of a local foundry with capacity for casting her larger works, Kantaroff purchased the Toronto Arts Foundry in partnership with Al Green. Kantaroff worked in a variety of materials including bronze, stone, metal and fiberglass. Her outdoor commissioned sculptures can be seen at J.D.S. Investments, Sheridan Mall, Mississauga the Baycrest, Toronto and the Windsor Sculpture Garden. She was a member of the Sculptors Society of Canada from 2004 on. Kantaroff was represented by the Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto.
Maryon Kantaroff died in Toronto on June 9, 2019 of complications from pneumonia. she was 85.

Selected works

In 1992 the artist received the prestigious President's Award of the Sculptors Society of Canada.