From 1928 to 1937, Jack Shadbolt took night classes with Frederick Varley at the Vancouver School of Art while teaching high school by day. In 1938 he was hired as an instructor at the Vancouver School of Art, though was soon called to the army. He returned eventually, becoming the head of Painting and Drawing, a position he held until 1966.

Shadbolt's influence on the Vancouver art community during these years is difficult to overstate. He brought to his teaching wide ranging knowledge of international modernist movements, encouraging his students to apply them to the local landscape and cultural context. His own work, marked by bold abstraction and expressive imagery, brought national attention to West Coast art. His teaching, writing and advocacy helped establish Vancouver as a vital centre for contemporary art in Canada.

The Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts (VSDAA) opened on October 1, 1925, marking the beginning of formalized art education in the city. Founded through the efforts of the British Columbia Society of Fine Arts, the school was a response to Vancouver’s rapid growth and the need for cultural institutions. Under its first director, Charles H. Scott, and with prominent faculty including Jock Macdonald and Fred Varley, the VSDAA quickly became a centre of artistic activity. A vibrant social and intellectual community grew around the school, supported by figures such as John Vanderpant and Harold Mortimer Lamb. In 1933 the school was renamed the Vancouver School of Art, and over the decades it continued to expand, eventually becoming Emily Carr University of Art + Design. In 2025 the institution celebrates its centenary, a testament to its enduring role in shaping the cultural landscape of Vancouver and beyond.