Painter and philanthropist Hugo Alvarado died Saturday in Edmonton while waiting for a lung transplant.
He was 71.
The artist was known for his still-life, cityscape, landscape and nude portraits.
“He painted parts of Chile and Saskatoon,” his daughter, Raquel, said.
“He’s probably most well known for all of his vibrant colours, and mixing that kind of South American and Canadian imagery.”
Alvarado called Saskatoon home since 1976 when he fled his birth country, Chile as a political exile.
“He was just so passionate about Saskatoon, and the community,” Raquel said.
“(He) came to Canada with $5 and a pair of underwear. Ever since then he’s been passionate about giving back to the community that he called home.”
During his time in the city he co-founded Artists Against Hunger, a group that held art auctions and other events that donated proceeds to the Saskatoon Food Bank and other local causes.
“They’ve been so passionate about helping the community with food security and homelessness,” Raquel said.
“Just all of these things that affected the most oppressed members of society, those were always things that he cared about.”