# Christopher Varley

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{{short description|Canadian art historian, curator, art dealer (born 1950)}}
{{Orphan|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date= April 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name             = Christopher Varley
| image            = 
| image_size       = 
| alt              = 
| caption          = 
| birth_name       = Christopher John Varley
| birth_date       = {{birth date|1950|09|19}} 
| birth_place      = Vancouver, Canada
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| nationality      = 
| spouse           = Sandra Shaul (married 1986)
| education        = Simon Fraser University (grad. 1972)
| awards	   = 
| known_for        = Canadian art historian, curator, private art dealer, art and cultural commentator
}}

'''Christopher Varley''' (born 1950)<ref name="WWho " /> is a Canadian art historian, curator, private art dealer, art and cultural commentator.<ref name="WWho " >{{cite web |title=Christopher Varley |publisher=Who`s Who in Canada|url=
https://canadianwhoswho.ca/search_results.php?keywords=christopher+varley&onlyByName=1 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> He is the grandson of [F. H. Varley](/source/F._H._Varley). His weekly on-line letters have become something of a "community education project for those of us working in the Canadian art world," wrote one gallerist about Varley's commentary.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zhou |first1=Diamond |title=Article |url=https://www.paulkylegallery.com/post/the-executor-s-burden |website=www.paulkylegallery.com |publisher=Paul Kyle Gallery |access-date=6 December 2025}}</ref>

==Career==
Christopher Varley was born in Vancouver and received his B.A. from [Simon Fraser University](/source/Simon_Fraser_University), graduating in 1972. He was the Assistant Curator at the [Vancouver Art Gallery](/source/Vancouver_Art_Gallery), 1974–1977 and the Head Curator at the [Edmonton Art Gallery](/source/Edmonton_Art_Gallery), 1979–1983.<ref name="WWho " /> In 1983, he moved to Toronto and became a private art dealer specializing in historical Canadian art as well as a freelance curator and consultant.<ref name="WWho " /> He has donated work to galleries such as the [McMaster Museum of Art](/source/McMaster_Museum_of_Art)<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://museum.mcmaster.ca/roald-nasgaardlori-walters-christopher-varley-collections|website=museum.mcmaster.ca |date=11 April 2016 |publisher=McMaster Museum of Art, 2016 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and [The Image Centre](/source/The_Image_Centre) at Ryerson to which he gave an entire collection of 542 photographs by various Canadian makers from the 19th century to the 20th.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exhibitions |url=https://theimagecentre.ca/collection/canadian-photographs-from-the-collection-of-christopher-varley |website=theimagecentre.ca |publisher=The Image Centre |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref>

==Writing==
Varley is the author of ''[F. H. Varley](/source/F._H._Varley)'' (National Gallery of Canada 1979); ''F.H. Varley: a centennial exhibition'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1981);<ref name="WWho " /> ''[Hans Hofmann](/source/Hans_Hofmann) (1880-1966): an introduction to his paintings'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1982); ''[Morrice](/source/Morrice) to [Borduas](/source/Borduas): painting in Montreal from 1900-1950'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1982); ''Winnipeg west: painting and sculpture in western Canada, 1945-1970'' (Edmonton Art Gallery, 1983);<ref name="WWho " /> ''[William Nicoll Cresswell](/source/William_Nicoll_Cresswell) (1818-1888): Man from Seaforth'' (with Barry Fair, London Regional Art Gallery, 1986);<ref name="WWho " /> ''[Aba Bayefsky](/source/Aba_Bayefsky) revisited: a retrospective exhibition'' (Koffler Gallery, 1989);<ref name="WWho " /> ''The Development of the modern market for historical Canadian art'' (Typescript of a speech given at the [Robert McLaughlin Gallery](/source/Robert_McLaughlin_Gallery), Oshawa, on April 15, 2004)<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://ago.ent.sirsidynix.net/client/en_GB/agolibrary/search/results?qu=christopher+varley&te=ILS&lm=EXCLUDERARE |website=ago.ent.sirsidynix.net |publisher=Art Gallery of Ontario |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and other catalogues, He also writes articles on subjects such as the [Group of Seven](/source/Group_of_Seven_(artists)) for the [Canadian Encyclopedia](/source/Canadian_Encyclopedia)<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/author/christopher-varley |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |publisher=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> and reviews shows for ''Galleries West'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Author |url=https://www.gallerieswest.ca/topics/varley |website=www.gallerieswest.ca |publisher=Galleries West Magazine |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>

His writing on [F. H. Varley](/source/F._H._Varley) has been respectfully reviewed by his peers<ref>{{cite journal |title=(Review of) F.H. Varley: A Centennial Exhibition by Christopher VARLEY |last1=Davis|first1=Ann|journal=Journal of Canadian Art History |date=1982 |volume=6 |issue=2 |pages=228–231|jstor=42615828 |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/42615828 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> as has his writing on the [Contemporary Arts Society](/source/Contemporary_Arts_Society) which was said to be "a tribute to his energy, enthusiasm and insight".<ref>Sandra Paikowsky, "Review of Contemporary Arts Society catalogue". Journal of Canadian Art History, vol.. 5, no. 2 (1981), pp. 138 ff.</ref>

His e-mail commentary<ref name="WWho " /> in existence since 2010 with a set list of recipients covers a wide variety of topics, politics, society, economics and finance, along with art and culture with individual artist profiles on artists such as [Arthur Lismer](/source/Arthur_Lismer).<ref>{{cite web |title=Christopher Varley |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/author/christopher-varley |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |publisher=Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> He also has discussed the art market and auction sales of art.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sandals |first1=Leah |title=Article: Reflecting on Canada's Fall Auctions, Beyond the Big Sales |url=https://canadianart.ca/news/reflecting-on-canadas-fall-auctions-beyond-the-big-sales |website=canadianart.ca |publisher=Canadianart Magazine, Nov 29, 2018 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>

==Memberships==
*Canadian Museums Association, 1982–1983;<ref name="WWho " />
*Alberta Association Architects, 1982–1983;<ref name="WWho " />
*Friends of the Canadian Collection, [Art Gallery of Ontario](/source/Art_Gallery_of_Ontario);<ref name="WWho " /> 
*Founding Director, The Funding Network (Toronto) 2005–2015;<ref name="WWho " />
*Art Dealers Association of Canada, 2010–2013<ref name="WWho " />

==Awards==
*Canada Council Travel Grant, 1982;<ref name="WWho " />
*Western Canada Art Association Publishing Award, 1984<ref name="WWho " />

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Varley, Christopher}}
Category:1950 births
Category:Living people
Category:Canadian art curators
Category:Canadian male non-fiction writers
Category:Canadian art historians
Category:20th-century Canadian non-fiction writers
Category:20th-century Canadian male writers
Category:21st-century Canadian non-fiction writers
Category:21st-century Canadian male writers
Category:Simon Fraser University alumni
Category:Canadian art dealers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Christopher Varley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Varley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Varley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.