[4][5] In 1942, during World War II, Jack Shadbolt enlisted in the army.In 1944, he sketched and painted in the prisoner-of-war camp at Petawawa, Ontario.
He devoted more time to painting[7] as well as to writing poetry which was published with his drawings in 1973 in "Mind's I: Jack Shadbolt" (McClelland and Stewart Ltd.).
In 1987, Shadbolt and his wife founded the Vancouver Institute for the Visual Arts, a charitable foundation to provide grants to individuals in support of their artistic endeavours.
[7] On 24 August 2001 Canada Post issued 'The Space Between Columns #21 (Italian), 1965, Jack Shadbolt' in the Masterpieces of Canadian art series.
The stamp was designed by Pierre-Yves Pelletier based on an oil painting "'The Space Between Columns #21 (1965) by Jack Shadbolt.