On The Matter of Memory: The Drawings of Harold Cromwell
On the Matter of Memory: The Drawings of Harold Cromwell is the first exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia to exclusively feature Cromwell, through works borrowed from private and public collections.
When they are gathered side by side in this way, the important role that storytelling plays within Cromwell’s work becomes visible, and their humble materials lend an air of vibrance to the memories they preserve.
This space一between memory and material一is where Cromwell’s unique vision comes to life.
Image: Harold Cromwell, Untitled [Back in The Old Days…], Ink on paper plate, Private Collection.
About Harold Cromwell
Born in 1919 to the Black Loyalist community of Weymouth Falls, Harold Cromwell was a prolific folk artist with an acute talent for observation. His meticulous, textured pen and ink illustrations一drawn on everything from cupboard doors and scraps of canvas to paper plates一capture his responses to his experiences growing up in rural Nova Scotia.
Depicting scenes from a childhood in the Great Depression and working-class life, Cromwell’s art illuminates a key moment in Nova Scotian history, documenting a time of great transition in the environment and the social fabric of his community.
Image: Documentation of Harold Cromwell, year unknown, source: Weymouth Information Centre – Sissiboo Landing.
Image: Harold Cromwell’s Business Card, year unknown, source: Weymouth Information Centre – Sissiboo Landing.
About the Interview
In this video from the Elder Transcripts Digby District archive, Harold Cromwell shares memories of growing up in rural Nova Scotia, reflecting on family life, early work, limited schooling, and the hardships and resilience shaped by his father’s illness and the economic challenges of the time.
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