| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
In 1934 he had work in the RCA's 55th Annual exhibition, held at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
In 1936 he went to Europe, where among other activities, he studied art at the Westminster School of Art in London, and illustrated articles for Blackwood's magazine. He married and travelled in Europe before returning to Canada, living first in Montreal, then driving across Canada in 1939 to Vancouver.
In 1942 one of his paintings won the prize for best watercolour at the 1942 B.C. Artists exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. After World War II started, Kerr worked as a painter in the illustration department at Boeing Aircraft's Plant 3 in 1943-44. In 1943 his watercolour "Qu'Appelle Valley" won the Bronze medal at the 12th Annual B.C. Artists' Exhibition held at the Vancouver Art Gallery. A biographical questionnaire filled out by Kerr prior to receipt of the medal is still on file at the Gallery's Library. The answer to question 8, "Exhibitions in which work has been shown" demonstrates his successful career to that date: "Royal Canadian Academy. Ontario Society of Artists. Canadian Exhibition, Toronto. National Gallery Travelling Show. Montreal Society of Artists. Saskatchewan Society - Saskatoon Society - Manitoba Soc. - and one-man shows - B.C. Artists." He was living at 2476 West 3rd, Vancouver, at the time.
In 1945 Kerr joined the Vancouver School of Art as a member of the faculty. He wrote and illustrated a book titled "Gay Dogs and Dark Horses", which was published by J.M. Dent & Sons, Canada, who also published the writings of R.S. Sherman. Kerr also designed the cover and endpapers for the Canadian Parade Readers by Dent.
Kerr had a Duo Show with Ernest Lindner at the Vancouver Art Gallery, from March 5 - 24, 1946.
Kerr was on a list titled "Leading Vancouver Artists," provided to the Labour Arts Guild on April 10, 1946 by the Vancouver Art Gallery to assist in the Guild's call for entries to the second annual B.C. At Work exhibition.
In 1947, after two years at the Vancouver Art School, he moved to Alberta to take up the position of Art Director at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art in Calgary, succeeding J.E.H. MacDonald (Group of Seven) in that position. His career continued successfully for many years after that, including solo exhibitions and the award of a Canada Council Senior Fellowship in 1960. He also wrote an autobiographical booklet simply titled "Illingworth Kerr".
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | LOCATION |
| 1946 March 5 - 24 | Paintings by I.H. Kerr and Ernest Lindner | VAG |
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
| 1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 | VAG B.C. Artists 12th Annual | Qu'Appelle Valley |
| Qu'Appelle Valley, Winter | ||
| 1944 May 13 - June 4 | BCSFA 34th Annual | Melting Ice |
| Fallen Earth | ||
| 1944 July 4 - Aug. 30 | VAG B.C. Artists 3rd Annual Summer | Qu'Appelle Valley, Winter |
| Melting Ice | ||
| 1944 Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 | VAG B.C. Artists 13th Annual | Grain |
| Projection of a Mood | ||
| Conventional Piece | ||
| 1945 May 18 - June 10 | BCSFA 35th Annual | Departure |
| Mining Town | ||
| 1945 Sept. 22 - Oct. 21 | VAG B.C. Artists 14th Annual | Philip Philip of Hat Creek |
| 1946 May 31 - June 23 | BCSFA 36th Annual | Harvest Field |
| 1946 July 2 - 28 | VAG Jubilee Exhibition | Departure |
| 1946 Sept. 21 - Oct. 13 | VAG B.C. Artists 15th Annual | Turn of the Tide, Fraser Delta |
| 1946 Oct. ? - ? | FCA 40 Selections from 15th BCA | Turn of the Tide, Fraser Delta |
| 1947 May 9 - June 1 | BCSFA 37th Annual | Winter Sketch |
| Horses | ||
| False Creek | ||
| 1947 July 8 - 27 | VAG B.C. Artists Summer Exhibition | Winter Sketch |
| 1948 May 18 -June 6 | BCSFA 38th Annual | Seymour Creek |
| Vancouver, Night | ||
| Alberta Road | ||
| 1951 April 24 - May 13 | VAG BCSA 41st Annual | Foothill Fields No. 1 |
| Foothills Fields No. 2 | ||
| October |
CREATIVE CANADA - Volumes One & Two (refer to CC71)
More than a full column of information about Kerr.
THE MOUNTAINS AND THE SKY by Lorne E. Render
1974, Glenbow-Alberta Institute; published by McClelland and Stewart West
ISBN 0-7712-1001-2; 224 pages, illustrated throughout in colour and b&w
Includes biographical information on Kerr and seven of his paintings illustrated
THE SHELL CANADA COLLECTION (refer to SHEL77)
ARTISTS OF ALBERTA by Suzanne Devonshire Baker
1980; 98 pages; ISBN 0-88864-067-6; University of Alberta Press
Illustrated throughout in colour; 85 separate biographies
Artists include George Angliss,
Kay Angliss, Illingworth Kerr.
ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979 (refer to RCA81)
ART BANK CATALOGUE (refer to AB87)
MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - SPRING EXHIBITIONS 1880 - 1970 (refer to MM88)
A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)
THE CANADIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA (refer to CE00)
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
14 references listed for Kerr.
THE BOW - LIVING WITH A RIVER, edited by Gerald T. Conaty
Includes essays by G.T. Conaty, Daryl Betenia, Catharine Mastin
2004; ISBN 1-55263-634-8; Glenbow Museum, published by Key Porter Books Ltd.
160 pages, hardcover; extensively illustrated with artwork and historical photographs
Includes essays, select artist biographies, art and general bibliographies, index
Artwork by western artists includes Kerr
THE FECKLESS COLLECTION (refer to FECK18)
"The Association Bronze Medal for a watercolour
painting of a high order of merit goes to Illingworth H. Kerr of Vancouver.
Born in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, Mr. Kerr has been a resident of British Columbia
for the past three years. He received his art training at the Ontario College of
Art and the Westminster School of Art, London, England. Exhibitions in which this
artist's work have been shown include the Royal Canadian Academy,
the Ontario Society of Artists, the Montreal Art Society and
others. His work has also been exhibited in previous B.C. Artists' Exhibitions.
The prize-winning picture is entitled "Qu'Appelle Valley, Winter.""
From "12th Annual B.C. Artists' Exhibition"
Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November 1943
"Illingworth Kerr displays a gaiety of vision and a vivacity
of color in his oil study, "Winter Sketch," as well as in water-color ... "
From "B.C. Art Exhibit Non-Experimental"
News Herald, May 12 1947
" ... Over two hundred entries had been received, which were narrowed down to eighty-nine
by the jury, (Lionel Thomas, Gordon
Appelbe Smith, and Illingworth Kerr) plus an imposing display of pottery,
clay models, wood carving and other handicrafts."
From "Letter re West Vancouver Sketch Club"
Personal correspondence, March 15 1948