Trudeau accepts portrait of his father by London, Ont. artist
London artist Eric Drummond said he is honoured Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accepted a portrait of his late father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
The painting was presented to the prime minister by London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos last week.
Drummond said he has been informed Justin Trudeau intends to have it framed to hang inside his Parliament Hill office.
“I’m over the moon. The prime minister keeps a painting you did and has it in such a prominent place as the office of Parliament. That’s astounding,” Drummond shared with CTV News London.
An admirer of Pierre Trudeau, Drummond said he spent six weeks on the sketch portrait.
“I wanted it all to be relaxed and confident because he was such a great speaker and so charismatic,” he explained.
But Drummond’s take on Trudeau is merely a drop in the bucket in the life work of the accomplished 30-year-old.
A sketch portrait of Pierre Elliott Trudeau by London, Ont. artist Eric Drummond. (Source: Eric Drummond)
A graduate of the prestigious Florence Academy of Art, he specializes in classic renaissance-style art.
“I wanted to kind of follow the heritage of the old masters that I loved,” he said. “They all got their education in Florence and I wanted to do the same.”
Drummond said his initial admiration for classical art came from his grandfather, an Italian immigrant to Canada.
“I kind of carry his lesson with me as much as any other lesson I would have learned in school,” he said.
Eric Drummond in his London, Ont. Studio. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
After three years in Italy, Drummond has returned to a studio at London’s TAP Centre for Creativity. From here, he plans to grow renaissance-style art across the country.
“I think I could be a part of changing the culture of portrait art and classical art in Canada,” he explained.
Drummond is already a commissioned artist for multiple public figures, predominantly U.S. lawmakers and private clients.
He said his work of Trudeau could one day be recreated as a larger portrait.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.