We are featuring available work by some artists from over our 55 years, with a focus here on the places, surroundings, and a certain moment, that contributed to their lives -and ours.

Doris McCarthy, Asters in the Fields at Fool’s Paradise, 1953, watercolour, 20″ x 24″
Doris’ Scarborough Bluffs home, Fool’s Paradise (the name dubbed by her mother and stuck), built from her plans and drawings by a local builder and her own hands during the 40′s, remained her home and studio until her death in 2010. Through her generous donation to Ontario Heritage it became the much loved Fool’s Paradise, Doris McCarthy Artist-In-Residence Centre
This spirited watercolour, and one of the best examples of her “prismatic” abstraction of the 50′s, captures the place in the way only Doris could.

Doris McCarthy, Untitled study, Georgian Bay, 1965, ink on paper, 9″ x 8″
With similar aplomb, an impressive sketch from Georgian Bay.

Doris McCarthy, Bullrushes, Haliburton, 1963, oil on panel, 21″ x 16″
An en plein air panel from McCarthy’s travels around the province and one of her favourite places, the Haliburton Highlands. The 1960′s was a time of experimentation for Doris leading her to resonant painting highlights such as this.

Mary Pratt, Jelly, 1978, tracing drawing for Jelly, pencil on tracing paper, 7″ x 8.5″
Pratt’s making of “Jelly”, her incredible 14 colour stone lithograph and a classic Pratt subject of the time is evinced in this original drawing. It is rare to have the working drawings and proofs for one of Pratt’s early hand worked/made lithographs. Mary released the studies and proofs for our collection in the 70′s as she was making the small edition of Jelly available.

Mary Pratt, Jelly, 1978, Original 14 stone colour lithograph on paper, 7″ x 8.5″, 39/43.
-from stone to Jelly!

Michael Snow, Stool, 1955, graphite on paper, 13″ x 8″
A stool is a stool is a stool!
What more can we say when this fine Snow work from his early years says so much on its own!

Michael Snow, Wood Calling Bronze, 1989, bronze and wood base, 16″ x 9″ x 6″
This stunning work holds so much within it, Snow’s history as well as ours. When you consider his occupation over the years to communicate in so many ways, when multi-media has been at the forefront of his work, when a phone from the 50′s can be captured by Snow in wood, for a prop in one of his iconic films, and then later, in the 80′s, cast in bronze for the multiple Wood Calling Bronze. The title reveals so much.

Ted Rettig, 81-1X, 1981, steel and plexi, 15″ x 25″ x 0.25″
From a Rettig exhibition in the early 1980′s, we are fortunate to have one of the beautiful constructions of that time.

Ted Rettig, Selected Work, 1977-2008, WTG installation, 401 Richmond St. W. South Gallery.
In 2008, Rettig compiled and installed a small exhibition for us at 401 Richmond of work from the 1970′s to the current that functioned as a mini survey, and included 81-1X. Installation Archive.

Ted Rettig, gracious so long on going, 1982-2008, wood, ceramic, stone, brick, drawing, 32″ x 28″ x 24″; Ted Rettig installation, Selected Work: New & Recent, Wynick/Tuck Gallery, 401 RIchmond St. W., North Gallery, October 29 – November 19, 2011