Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1970

Date Range To

1980

Materials

BRASS, RUBBER, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

1

Height

1.6

Diameter

2.9

Description

OVAL PIN FEATURING RISING SUN OVER C.P. HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE, GREEN FIELDS IN FOREGROUND, "LETHBRIDGE" SPELLED OUT AS PART OF BRIDGE TRESTLE. STAMPED ON REVERSE SIDE: "THOMAS HOT STAMPING, BOX 365 WATERLOO, ONT." PIN HAS BRASS SAFETY PIN HELD TO REVERSE SIDE WITH RUBBER PAD. GREEN & WHITE ON OVAL BACKGROUND.

Subjects

ADORNMENT

Historical Association

COMMEMORATIVE

History

LOGO DESIGNED BY LETHBRIDGE ARTIST MICHAEL PISKO, FOR CITY IN 1967. COPYRIGHTED BY THE CITY. PIN WAS DESIGNED FOR CITY TO PRESENT IT TO VISITORS. LOGO RESEMBLES HUGE EYE WITH PUPIL REPRESENTING THE SUN, IN REFERENCE TO LETHBRIDGE AS THE SUNSHINE CAPITAL OF CANADA. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS, INCLUDING ONE DONATED BY DR. ALEX JOHNSTON (P19820062000). WHILE SHE WAS UNABLE TO FIND SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE ARTIFACTS DONATED BY JOHNSTON, A TRIBUTE ARTICLE FROM THE APRIL 13, 1989 ISSUE OF THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD PROVIDES BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION. JOHNSTON WAS BORN IN 1920 IN WORKED FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS AS A RANGELAND ECOLOGIST AT THE LETHBRIDGE RESEARCH STATION. HIS CAREER AS A LOCAL HISTORIAN STARTED IN THE MID-1960S, AND BY HIS DEATH HE HAD AUTHORED OVER ONE HUNDRED ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS. HE WORKED AT THE GALT MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES, AND SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARITFACTS AND ACQUISITION COMMITTEE AT THE FORT WHOOP UP INTERPRETIVE SOCIETY. JOHNSON RECEIVED AN HONOURARY DOCTORATE OF LAWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE AND WAS INDUCTED IN THE ALBERTA AGRICULTURE HALL OF EXCELLENCE FOR HIS ROLE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RESEARCH SUBSTATION WEST OF STAVELY - A DEMONSTRATION FARM USED TO DEVELOP THE PRESERVATION OF NATIVE PRAIRIE GRASSES. JOHNSTON WAS A CONFIRMED BACHELOR AND LIVED FOR MANY YEARS AT THE MARQUIS HOTEL. HE DIED ON APRIL 12, 1989. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON LOGO DESIGNER MICHAEL PISKO WAS FOUND IN A PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING THE 'MICHAEL PISKO MEMORIAL AWARD', WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE ARTIST'S WIDOW AND THE ALBERTA SOCIETY OF ARTISTS IN 2000, TO BE AWARDED TO A GRADUATING BFA DEGREE PAINTER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE: "MICHAEL PISKO WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE IN 1913. HE MADE HIS LIVING AS A SUCCESSFUL SIGN PAINTER THROUGH HIS BUSINESS, CITY SIGN COMPANY, BUT LANDSCAPE PAINTING WAS HIS LIFE'S FULFILLMENT. TO HONE HIS SKILLS, HE STUDIED THREE SUMMERS AT THE BANFF SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS AND SOUGHT INSTRUCTION FROM SENIOR VISITING ARTISTS WHO CAME TO LETHBRIDGE ON INVITATION OF THE LETHBRIDGE SKETCH CLUB, OF WHICH HE, IN 1937, WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS. PISKO GREATLY ADMIRED A.Y. JACKSON, THE GROUP OF SEVEN MASTER, WITH WHOM HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SKETCH AND PAINT AROUND LETHBRIDGE WHENEVER JACKSON CAME TO TOWN TO VISIT HIS BROTHER. HE WAS ALSO DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY H.G. GLYDE, WHO TAUGHT AT THE ALBERTA COLLEGE OF ART IN CALGARY AND AT THE BANFF SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS AND WHO VISITED LETHBRIDGE TO TEACH ART CLASSES AT THE LETHBRIDGE SKETCH CLUB. IN 1947 PISKO WAS ACCEPTED FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE ALBERTA SOCIETY OF ARTISTS. HE WAS A PROLIFIC PAINTER, WHO EXHIBITED REGULARLY WITH THE LETHBRIDGE SKETCH CLUB AND THE ALBERTA SOCIETY OF ARTISTS. HIS WORK IS REPRESENTED IN MANY PRIVATE, CORPORATE AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS, AMONG THEM THE ALBERTA FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE. MICHAEL PISKO PASSED AWAY IN 1999." FOR COPIES OF LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES ON PISKO AND HIS CAREER, AS WELL AS PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE 1995 ARTWALK DEDICATED TO HIM, SEE PERMANENT FILE P19920009001.

Catalogue Number

P19820064000

Acquisition Date

1982-12

Collection

Museum

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