Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.10.1970, Blaðsíða 3

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 1. OKTÖBER 1970
3
##My Husband
Framhald af bls. 1.
At Churchill, the Hudson
Bay Cotnpany’s famous ‘Non-'
such’ is moored and a rocket ^
is in flight from the rocket
range. Flin Flon, Thompson,
Brandon, and of course Win-
nipeg, are among the cities re-
presented.
For work in oil it’s miracu-
lously fine. It’s got the sym-
metrical quality of fine old
tapestry. The painting took
1,600 hours, and this is with-
out taking into account re-
search and planning.
To feel the graphic signifi-
cance of the places he was to
portray, Albert put in a great
deal of travel. To the same
end he collected pictures and
postcards, and talked to
friends who were natives or
experts on particular parts of
the province.
The Manitoba project was
begun in 1967, as soon as his
first important mural repres-
enting the Dominion of Can-
ada was completed. It aroused
much interest when it re-
ceived its first display in Win-
nipeg’s Fort Garry Hotel.
First Novel
Albert’s first novel was set
in the first year of the life of
Jesus Christ. It took two
years to research and seven
months to write. The second
novel, now about a third of
the way through, deals with
the life of the fishermen of
Lake Winnipeg.
Albert wrote his first poem
at the age of 10 in 1936. It
was printed in the ‘Winnipeg
Free Press.’
He was born at Selkirk,
Man., where his father was a
fisherman, went to live with
his grandparents at Gimli
when his mother died in his
infancy, has lived in Winni-
peg since the age of eight.
"Wanted to Create"
He received most of his
schooling at East Kildonan
and says “I wanted to create
from the time I could pick
up a pencil.”
T h e r e were hard times
ahead with real hunger. He
left school at grade 9 and took
a job with Eatons as $13 a
week.
Then, in the heart of the
depression, an uncle found a
job, and Albert went back to
school at the age of 19. In the
summers he workea as a com-
mercial fisherman.
In different circumstances
he might have finished up on
the concért stage.
“While I was working at
Eatons, and another young
tenor with the name of John
Vickers was working at the
Is a Genius##
Hudson Bay, we both entered
a Singing Stars of Tomorrow
contest. I was supposed to go
to Toronto. Then they decid-
ed I was two months too 'old.
John went instead, and start-
ed his wonderful career.
Disappointmeni
“That was the greatest dis-
appointment I ever had,” says
Albert Halldorsson.
He didn’t give up singing,
and j o i n e d the Icelandic-
Swedish Male Voice Choir,
Lutheran Male Voice Choir,
Metropolitan Choir and took
solo engagements.
Once being completely out
of funds he hired a hall on
credit, gave a recital, and fin-
ished up with $50 in hand
after paying the pianist and
other incidentals.
In 1953 he married the
former Jaqueline Agagnier, of
St. Boniface, who says: “We
met by accident. First I really
fell in love with his singing.”
Out of a Job
He was with Eaton’s for
eleven years, then got caught
up in a reorganizations drive
that eliminated his job. It
took three years for another
regular job to turn up — and
while Albert’s instinct for art
and w r i t i n g has brought
achievement and personal sat-
isfaction, it has not brought
wealth.
“In 1959 I went to mail a
letter at the Winnipeg Post
Office. Compared with the
relief money we had been liv-
ing on, I thought the job of-
fered on a poster too good for
me. Eventually I decided to
try.
Happy Life
“Well after a year I was in
the Post Office. I have a
happy life. The Post Office,
my wife and children, my
painting and my writing are
all important parts of it.”
Of the children David, 16,
is showing promise as a paint-
er of birds: young Jonathan
has ambitions to be an artist
too. Then there are Julianna,
Deborah, Joel, Mishael and
lusty Gabriel who arrived in
October 1969.
A small bungalow with a
happy family of extrovert
children may not seem to be
an ideal bacground for crea-
tive work. Albert admits that
it does demand concentration.
He says quite simply: “I
did my murals because I love
Canada, and because I am
proud of being a Canadian.”
“My husband is a genius,”
says Mrs. Halldorsson.
Communication '70.
Fréttir fré íslandii* Business and Professional Cards
Framhald af bls. 1.
hann ennfremur, að mikil-
vægi hússins til styrktar ísl.
félagslífi og gat þess, að á
höfuðborgarsvæði Danmerk-
ur væru að staðaldri um 3000
íslendingar.
Hann minntist gefandans,
Carls Sæmundsens stórkaup-
manns, sem Birgir sagði, að
hefði unnið að því óslitið í 50
ár að geta gefið íslendingum
hús Jóns Sigurðssonar skulda-
og kvaðalaust. Hann sagði, að
íslenzka þjóðin sæti í mikilli
þakkarskuld við Carl Sæm-
undsen fyrir að hafa bjargað
húsi Jóns Sigurðssonar frá
eyðileggingu og gleymsku.
í lok ræðu sinnar afhenti
hann ísl. félögunum húsið
formlega til umráða og gat
þess, að húsinu hefði verið
skipuð sérstök hússtjórn og
væri Sigurður Bjarnason
sendiherra formaður hennar,
en auk hans væru í hússtjórn-
inni Júlíus Sólnes, formað-
ur íslendingafélagsins, Guð-
mundur Björnsson formaður
Félags íslenzkra námsmanna
í Kaupmannahöfn, Þórarinn
Kampmann og Ólafur Alb-
ertsson.
I r æ ð u, sem Sigurður
Bj arnason sendiherra fluttf,
sagði hann m. a. að þetta hús
væri sögufrægasta byggingin,
sem tengd væri íslenzkri sögu
í Kaupmannahöfn. „Þetta 120
ára gamla hús sem nú hefur
kastað ellibelgnum, er vett-
vangur mikilla minninga.“
Heillaóskaskeyti barst frá
forsetahjónunum, sem lesið
var upp af Birgi Finnssyni, en
hann flutti einnig sérstaka
kveðju frá Jóhann Hafstein
f orsætisr áðherr a.
ÞJÓÐRÆKNISFÉLAG ÍSLENDINGA í VESTURHEIMI
Forseli: SKÚLI JÓHANNSSON
587 Minto Street, Winnipeg 10, Manitoba
Styrkið félagið m«ð þri að geraii meðlimir.
Arsgjald — Einstaklingar $3.00 — Hión $5.00
Sandisl til fjármálaritara
MRS. KRISTIN R. JOHNSON
1059 Dominion Sl., Winnipag 3, Manitoba
Phon® 78J-J971
Buiiding Mechanics Ltd.
Palntlng - Dccoratlng - Conctructlon
P.enovoting - Rool Kstata
K W. (BILU JOHANNSON
Monafler
9JB tlgln Avenue Wlnnlpag 3
A. S. BARDAL LTD.
FUNEPAL HOME
843 Sherbrook Steret
Selur líkkiatur o§ annast um
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Stofnsö 1694 SPruce 4-7474
Goodman and Kojima Electric
(LCCTRICAL CONTRACTORS
770 CLLICI AVE., WINNIPEO 10
774-354«
ARTHUR GOOOMAN
sr 1-5341
M. KOJIMA
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JPruce 4-7835
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J. M. Ingimundson
Re roof4 Anphalt Sh'.nglee, Roof Repoiro.
Inotoll Vento, Inaulotlon or»d
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6S2 Simeee St., Winnlpeg 3, Men.
Selkirk Funeral Chapel Ltd.
Director: GARTH CLARY
Licensed Embalmer
Sarving Selkirk ond Intertoke areeo
Ambulonco Service
Coll Selkirk Phone 482-6284 Collect
209 Dufferin Ave. Selkirk, Monitobo
S. A. Thorarinson
farriator A tellettor
Lennett Motor Service
Operoted by MICKEY LfNNETT
IMPERIAL ESSO PRODUCTS
Hergreve & Bennatyne
WINNIPKG 2, MAN.
HALLDOR SIGURDSSON
AND SON LTD.
Lathing ond Plastering
Contractors
H. Mel Sigurdson, Manager
Office and Warehouse:
1212 St. Mory's Rood, Winnipeg 8
Ph. 256-4648 Res. 452-3000
FRÁ VINI
TALUN, KRISTJANSS0N
PARKER & SMITH
Barristers & Solicítora,
210 Osborne Streei North,
WINNIPEG 1, MANITOBA,
Area Code 204,
Telephone No. 775-8171
Tho Wettern Painf Co. Lrd.
321 HARORAVI JT. WINNIR8«
"THE PAINTERS'
SUPPLV HOUSE"
SINCE 1908
JJJRÍ HhíllHl^
Nri
WH J-7J«I
J. ÍHIMNOWSKl Pr*ii4*n«
A H. COTS, Tr.Murer
Mgbl. 13. sept.
ÍSLENZK UPPFINNING
EYKUR
BYGGINGARHRAÐA
Loftleiðir h.f. buðu til reisu-
gillis í gær í tilefni þess, að
búið er að steypa upp nýja
hótelálmu á vegum félagsins
en við það verk var sett nýtt
met í íslenzkum byggingar-
hraða. Meginþáttinn í þessu
meti áttu sérstök plastmót,
sem fundin voru upp í sam-
bandi við bygginguna. Svo
hratt var byggt, að það sam-
svaraði því, að reist væri 400
rúmmetra íbúðarhús dag
hvern. Nýja hótelálman verð-
ur tekin í notkun 1. maí næsta
ár og er þegar byrjað að bóka
gesti þar í. Kostnaður við
bygginguna er 120 milljónir
króna og eftir þessa stækkun
rúmar Hótel Loftleiðir 438
gesti í 219 herbergjum.
Framhald á bls. 7.
ICELAND - CALIFORNIA C0.
Bryan (Brjann) Whipple
Import and Salc of lcelandic
Woolens, Ceramic, Etc.
1090 Sonsome, Son Francisco CA94111
Wanted for cash: Older
lcelandic Stamps and Envelopes
2nd F*o©r, Crown Tru«t Bldp
364 MAIN STREET
Offleo WKitoholl 2-7091
R*.Men«o HU t 6488
Skúli Anderson
Custom Jewellei-y Engraver.
810 PARIS BLDG.
259 PORTAGE AVE.
Office: 942-5756
Home: 783-E688
Olvlnsky, Blrnboim & Cornpany
Chorfarad Accountont.
707 Monlreal Trust Bldg.
213 Nolre Dame Ave.
Winnipeg 2,
Telephone: 943 0526
Bonjaminson Construction C«.
Ltd.
1425 Erin Street.
Winnipeg 3,
Ph: 786-7416
OSNIRAL CONTRACTORI
E. BENJAMINJON,
Minnist
BETEL
í ©rfðaskróm yðor
Asgeirson Paints & Wallpapers
Ltd.
BUILDING MATERIALS
696 Sargent Avenue
Winnipeg 3, Manltoba
O All types ol Plywood
• Pre-fimsh doora and
windows
• Aluminum combination
doors
• Sashless Units
• Formica
• Arborite
• Tile Boards
• Hard Boards etc.
• Table Legs
Phones
SU 35-967 SU 34-322
FREE DELIVERY
RICH ARDSON & COMPANY
Barrlttar. and Solicltors
274 Gorry Str©*t, Winntpog 1, Monitoba T*i«phon© 942 7467
C. RICHARDiON, Q.C. J. F. R. TAYLOR, LL.B.
C. R. HUBAND, LL.B. W. S. VRIGHT, B.A., I.L.B.
W. NORRIE, B.A., LL.B. W. J KEHLER, B.A., L.L.B.
G M. ERICKION, B.A., LL.B. E C 8IAUDIN. B.A., L.L.B.
"GARTH M. ERICKSON of th« firm of Richardson & Company ott.nd. at tt»a
Girnli Crcdit Umon Offica. Gimli, 4:00 p.nt. to 6:00 p.m on flr«t emd third
Wednesday of eoch month /'