Arthur Adamson was born in Winnipeg. He joined the army at 18 and was sent overseas at the end of World War II. After receiving his first degree from the University of Manitoba, Adamson went abroad to teach and study before returning home to teach high school. After receiving his PhD in French literature from the University of Wisconsin, Adamson went on to teach English and Creative Writing at the University of Manitoba for many years. During these years he began to work as an artist and writer, and he published three collections of poetry, each illustrated with his own woodcuts. Adamson made invaluable contributions to the educational and cultural community in Manitoba as a scholar, a dedicated teacher, a poet, and an artist. He died in 2019.