That’s Why I Paint!

But the thing about being a sniper, the reason I wanted to be one was not to kill people, of course. How many of my own people did I save? I will never know that but I know I did. Anyway, Al and I were given credit for wiping out that entire Chinese sniper section within three weeks. He saved my life, Al did. They did send one sniper after me and I didn’t see him, Al did. It was the fact that you were on your own and you were expected to think for yourself. After you have been in the army for a couple of years the number of rules you have to follow and some of the orders you are given are so bloody ludicrous, you know, so in this case I was answerable for myself. I loved it in a strange way. Interviewer: It fascinates me to sit with you right here today and to be able to get such a sense of what you were seeing. Thank you. That’s why I paint. If there is anything a painter does, its share. We are blessed or cursed with the ability to translate something into a pictorial state. That’s my language. Bottom line though is to share. So the more experiences I suppose the better a painter you are.

Providing such a vivid portrayal of his actions as a sniper, Mr. Zuber shares his ability in sharing through the gift of art.

Edward "Ted" Zuber

Mr. Edward “Ted” Zuber was born October 16, 1932 in Montreal, Quebec. As a child, he was born with the gift of painting. Although not enthralled with school, Mr. Zuber did graduate and then went on to Queens University (Fine Arts). When the Korean War broke out in 1950, he was adamant to enlist and serve his country. He became a parachutist with the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. Arriving in Korea in 1952, he took on the role of sniper spending much of his time on the front lines. During this time, Mr. Zuber produced many drawings and, upon returning to Canada, presented thirteen of his canvas collections to the Canadian War Museum. Presently known as the unofficial war artist for Korea, Mr. Zuber’s paintings have become very popular. His painting “Freeze” has been unveiled in honour of the 65th Anniversary of the Korean War. Mr. Zuber has great pride in his service during the Korean War and is honoured to have been recognized for his artwork. Present day, Mr. Zuber finds himself in his studio continuing to paint the images of his wartime experiences, images that never seem to go away. Mr. Zuber resides in Kingston, Ontario with his wife and family.