Fund Raising

Performers Performers As my contribution to the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Centre in the Square in Kitchener, I painted a mural (6 feet by 8 feet) of performers, both local and international, who have entertained at this outstanding facility. This acrylic on canvas was painted in the lobby to the right of the fountain and allowed the public to follow the progress over the course of an entire year.

Afternoon Outing, 1921 Afternoon Outing, 1921 This painting is an authentic recreation of 1921 using a village store building at Doon Heritage Crossroads, Kitchener, Ontario. A grocer and his dolly-cart from Linwood and a couple of textbooks of historic clothing styles composed the time warp. 1921 was chosen as the year to be depicted because of its significance to the treatment of diabetes - in that year insulin was discovered. This painting was donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation for sale or auction.

Downstream - Subscribed (Unavailable) Downstream Downstream was created to emphasize the importance of our river systems. Although we are surounded by much fresh water, we realize the quality of the water is increasingly important. As a continuation of my Mennonite background and its concern for the land and conservation, I am pleased to be involved in the pleasant task of pointing people's attention to our Grand River (Ontario, Canada).

Heading for Galt Rails to Trails My local conservation area decided to purchase discontinued railway right-of-way for conversion to hiking trails. They approached me to produce three editions of reproductions to raise funds to help with that purchase. I created three paintings showing the rail lines and the trains that used to run there. As always for a specialty project, I had someone who was a technical consultant. For rail fans the picture must not only be appealing but also correct in all details.

Horse-Drawn Trolley Horse-Drawn Trolley This historic recreation from 1900 shows a scene near the original Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital. A horse-drawn streetcar ran between Kitchener and Waterloo. My models in this painting were the winners in a draw that was held as a fund-raiser for the the renovations of the emergency room at the hospital. To complete an historic recreation painting involves a good deal of work for my secretary. Getting costumes and handling photos all fall into her area. Joan Schmidt has looked after so much of this support work for a number of years. I do appreciate her careful attention. It is essential to my work.

Celebrating Our Heritage Celebrating Our Heritage After 125 years Kitchener’s St. Jerome’s High School closed. They commissioned a painting to pay tribute and raise funds by selling limited edition reproductions. For many years I have been a fan of monuments. Although this art has recently turned from representational sculpture to a more modern mode, which I find much less appealing, how fortunate for me that St. JeromeÆs has for many years stood as a background behind a superb sculpture of Father Funcken, its founder. This old-fashioned rendition captures both the ideals of the school and the history. With this bronze piece in mind, I showed a sketch that montaged the old part of the building and that statue to the committee. After a few changes they approved my design and I was able to go ahead with the painting.

Family Day Family Day (Homewood) Commissioned personally by the director of this institution, this picture shows a Sunday afternoon in the late 1930’s at the hospital. Reproductions of this image are being sold by the auxiliary to raise money for needed facilities. I should mention that the children and the dog have special significance to the commissioner.

Pioneer Plowing Pioneer Plowing This painting, reproduced as a limited edition reproduction as well as a poster, helped raise a considerable sum for the International Plowing Match and Machinery Show held in Waterloo Region. Using research from local historical sources, I was able to construct a painting that paralleled a promotional campaigned already developed using a covered wagon. Using this replica Conestoga wagon as a model, my aim was to show a time many years ago in our region. Plowing, of course, also needed to be a part of this work.

Harvest Heritage Harvest Heritage A local company, The Waterloo Manufacturing Company, produced a steam tractor, like this, one hundred years ago. It seemed a natural to use it in a painting, part of which would be used for a poster. The poster publicizes an event at the Ontario Agricultural Museum in Milton. I am the artist-in-residence at this country-life museum. The painting was then purchased by a local Waterloo insurance company. They have since commissioned another large painting that I will paint in public at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto November 2 - 16, 1996.

Rural Roots - Subscribed Rural Roots The Agriculture Institute of Canada desired a commemorative painting for their 75th anniversary. They wished also to raise donations to their cause using large reproductions. Every donation over a particular dollar value was acknowledged with a framed reproduction. The broad base of their organization made it necessary to make the setting not too specific to any one locale. This generic geographical approach is often a question with national organizations and presents a considerable challenge.