BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS  

Leslie Loyal Planta

1915 - April 26 2008

Vancouver School of Decorative & Applied Arts
B.C. College of Arts
Tauber's Puppet Players

Leslie Planta was born on Texada Island. He attended the Vancouver School of Decorative & Applied Arts first, then the B.C. College of Arts in Vancouver whe it opened. Afterwards, he traveled to Nootka with Jock Macdonald, Macdonald's wife Barbara, and Harry Tauber, one of the founders of the B.C. College of Arts. At Nootka the group tried to make a living while Jock painted, refer to letter in references.

After Planta's return, he went to New York, then to Los Angeles, where he worked for Pan American Airways until his retirement in 1979, including six years living in Honolulu. After his retirement he lived in Victoria until his death.


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
DATE EXHIBITION ARTWORK

References

Letter from Mrs. J.W.G. (Jock) Macdonald.
   Courtesy Vancouver Art Gallery Library & Archives

Obituary, Times Colonist, Victoria, April 29 2008

Clippings

"Besides his personal assistant, Mr. Les Planta, Mr. Tauber is aided by eight other puppeteers, well-known Vancouver people. There are Miss Jean Brown, Mrs. Ernva Code, Mr. Rudolph Engel, an Austrian; Miss Lilias Farley, Mrs. Ellen Harris, Miss Beatrice Lennie, Miss Margaret Williams, and Miss Isobel Wintemute."
      From "Day By Day With the Marionettes Part III The Puppeteers" by J.C. Shaw
      Vancouver Sun, March 2 1932

"Also excellent in their roles were ... Leslie Planta as Leone, the lion; ... (continues)"
      From "Players Masked"
      Vancouver Sun, January 5 1934

"When Mr. Macdonald stepped on the dock at Nootka from S.S. Maquinna, he was accompanied by his wife and little daughter of seven. In the party were also Harry Tauber, Viennese stage designer, and a young student (Leslie Planta) who had come to camp in the region. ... (continues)"
      From "Famed Local Artist Marooned At Christmas In Lighthouse" by J. Delisle Parker
      Vancouver Sun, December 23 1944


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