Arnold Mikelson

Arnold Mikelson (1922-1984) was a Latvian artist who specialized in wood carvings. Starting in 1947, he was chief designer for Royal Crown Derby Porcelain of England, before working as an architectural draftsman for a number of years. In the late 1960s, he took up carving full-time. Mikelson's work includes the design of the Mind and Matter Gallery in White Rock, British Columbia. He had commissions from the forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel (now Weyerhaeuser Canada), the Province of British Columbia and the City of Surrey.

Early life

Mikelson was born in 1922^[1] in the small river town of Rauna, Latvia. He was the son of a cabinetmaker.^[2] At the age of four, a visiting aunt noticed him carving a piece of wood on his father’s workbench. From then until the age of 16, he studied various artistic crafts. Trained as a mechanical engineer, he retained his passion for art. At the age of 17, Mikelson was awarded a Gold Medal in the Latvian seaport capital of Riga for his contribution to the arts there.^[3]

Career

Mikelson gave up painting at the age of 28 and settled on sculpture almost exclusively. In 1940, during World War II, the Russians invaded Latvia. Mikelson fled to Germany. Over seven years in war-torn Germany, Mikelson managed around 40 employees. These were artisans who made wooden hope chests, jewelry boxes, wooden plates and chandeliers. Mikelson created intricate carvings. Many churches throughout Germany contain carved chandeliers crafted by him.^{[citation needed]}

England

In 1947, after the war, Mikelson emigrated to England. Mikelson began working at the 200-year-old Royal Crown Derby Porcelain of England, hired to create three-dimensional sculptures. Mikelson was the company’s Chief Designer. His design leadership, including the "Chelsea Birds" now well known, helped revitalize and rebuild Royal Crown to some of its former grandeur. His work, consisting largely of bird sculptures, remains on display in the Royal Crown Derby Museum in England.^{[citation needed]} In 1948 Arnold married Livija Mikkelson in Repton, United Kingdom. In 1953 Arnold, Livija, and their two young children sailed for Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Canada

On a 1954 visit overseas, Canadian Senator

Mikelson accepted Senator Cameron’s offer and immigrated to Canada. However, when he travelled to Banff and saw the school, the finest in Canada with an international reputation, Mikelson turned down the opportunity, as the Banff facility was considered by European standards to be tiny and insignificant. Mikelson had no way of knowing at that time that this was the best that the comparatively new country of Canada had to offer, and he came, over time, to regret the decision he had made when he walked away from Senator Cameron’s offer.^[citation needed]

Mikelson went to work as an architectural draftsman. He designed many schools, hospitals, and residential buildings throughout that province and British Columbia.^[