He arrived in Canada in 1929. He exhibited with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts from 1932 to 1947, and with the RCA in 1931 and 1947. He was listed as a graphic artist, living in Montreal. He also displayed ceramic panels. His work is in the collections of the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

He was commissioned to create "reliefs, murals and bronze sculptures" (M) for the Hotel Vancouver. One them was a bas-relief sculpture in one of the lobbies, of a mermaid lying on a chaise-lounge. Shabaeff was commissioned to do "twenty-three reliefs, murals, and bronze sculptures for the new Hotel Vancouver, as well as two murals for the royal suite on the occcasion of the visit of the King and Queen." The hotel was completed in time for the Royal visit in 1939. The artist has no other apparent link to Vancouver or BC.

Detail, bas-relief in lobby of Hotel Vancouver, photo Stuart Thomson.

References

ROYAL CANADIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS - EXHIBITIONS & MEMBERS 1880 - 1979 (refer to RCA81)

A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)
     2 pages of biographical information and references to the artist.

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA (refer to BIAC03)
     Includes references to Shabaeff

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