Tamara Jaworska: From Arkhangelsk to Toronto, A Life Woven in Art

1926–2005
York Cemetery
Section R Niche 3542

Born in Arkhangelsk, Russia, Tamara Jaworska immigrated to Canada in 1969 and became one of the country’s most celebrated tapestry artists. Known for marrying contemporary design with the medieval French Gobelin weaving technique, her work transformed textile art into a modern visual language.

Jaworska earned her BFA Honours (1950) and MFA (1952) from the State Academy of Fine Arts in Poland. Her creative process began with painting, using watercolours, pastels and collage, before translating her designs into full-scale line drawings. Each tapestry was then woven by hand using the Gobelin method, a painstaking technique that allowed her to control every thread, colour and texture. This approach gave her work the depth and nuance of a “woven painting,” blending realism and abstraction with inspiration drawn from nature and Canadian landscapes.

Her tapestries have been exhibited worldwide and continue to be held in prestigious collections, including the National Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the Central Museum of Textile Arts in Łódź and the Scottish Art Institute in Galashiels. Monumental works such as Unity of Canada (1971) and Quartet Modern (1974) remain Canadian cultural landmarks.

In recognition of her artistic achievements, Jaworska received the Governor General’s Commemorative Medal in 1993 and was elected to the Order of Canada in 1994. Her legacy lives on as a testament to craftsmanship, innovation and the power of art to bridge tradition and modernity.

Sources: 
•  York University – Tamara Jaworska 
•  Governor General of Canada – Order of Canada Recipient Page