Ewald Rentz is one of Ontario's most recognized and respected folk artists. Born in Saskatchewan to German / Hungarian parents, Rentz moved to the small Northern community of Beardmore Ontario as a young man and laboured as a prospector, musician, lumber camp cook, and finally barber before beginning to make folk art at the age of sixty five.

Ewald Rentz was inspired by the intricate tree forms he found in the bush surrounding his home. He used these tree forms as a base, added a mixture of saw dust and glue, and painted his works in bright house paints. He "completed" what he saw in nature to create imaginative animals, whimsical and often humorous figures as well as scenes from his varied life. He was discovered by collectors in the 1980s and since then his work has made its way into important government and private collections in Canada and across the world. Ewald Rentz died in 1995 at the age of 87.