In 1981 CANAV Books became the first (and only) publisher to support Canada's aviation artists. Since then CANAV commissioned about 200 paintings from many artists. Its encouragement and the success of its books gradually raised awareness of aviation art in Canada, which had been almost non-existent before 1981. Through such support, and that provided by the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, budding artists now got together more, sharing ideas and meeting some of Canada's "originals" in this game -- always helpful fellows like Tom Bjarnason, Bob Bradford, Colin Clark, Pete Mossman or Bill Wheeler. A CAHS chapter meeting often was the venue for such get togethers.

Following publication of Sixty Years in 1984, CANAV donated 100+ "originals" to CF Air Command. These works became the foundation for today's Air Force Art Collection in Winnipeg. Years later the Canadian Aviation Artists Association came into existence to foster camaraderie, art education, etc. But, in one of those weird "only in Canada" twists, wherein people lose track of historic reality, the CAAA soon cast off CANAV, implying that all along it had been defaming aviation art by publishing junk. In reply to such revisionism (that odd disease, now turned into a Canadian religion), CANAV will comment from time to time about art.