Hello Orillia and welcome to Lockdown 2.0…or is it 3.0? Or 4.0? I have lost count.
Regardless, this latest lockdown is not good news for our creatives and anything they have been trying to do in 2021, so far. In-person events and gatherings are cancelled until at least February, and we are told to stay home. Period. I predict lots of art being made in this time of being inside!
Local artist Jimi McKee is one who has not been resting on his laurels, despite being an artist for over 50 years. McKee was born and grew up in Toronto, attending St. Michael’s College School. He had and has many interests, including sports cars, boats, fishing, art, and music.
In 1995, McKee acquired a collection of 218 native totem poles, which he then restored. He figured that all the prominent hotels in Canada would want to display these in their lobbies, but, sadly, the hotels weren’t interested.
Luckily, a friend of his was having an antique show in Port Carling, and let him have some space to set up the totem poles for sale. The totem poles were a huge hit with the Muskoka crowd, and McKee was able to sell them all that day!
McKee and friend Wayne Hill went on to make 225 more totems, for families, neighbourhoods, and institutions such as the Orillia Opera House, the Hospital for Crippled Children in Toronto, and others.
McKee’s art doesn’t stop at totems. He paints and does metal sculptural work as well as restoring antique cars. And for 50 years, he went down to the Florida Keys each winter and worked as a commercial fisherman.
Hurricane Irma wiped out McKee’s place in the Keys, but he still goes to Florida each year, as his 1890 house here in Canada isn’t the most comfortable in the winter. This year, getting down to Fort Myers Beach in Florida was more challenging, with having to ship his truck down, and flying down being the only option.
He usually shows work in a couple of galleries in Florida, but COVID-19 squashed that opportunity this year. With the virus on the rampage down there, bars and restaurants still open, hospitals overflowing, and masks not mandatory, as McKee says, “…we have to be extremely vigilant in our choices of what we do.”
So, he’s been painting a lot in his lanai, and finished these three paintings, pictured, in the last three weeks. Upcoming, he looks forward to getting back to his home on Lake Simcoe when the weather improves, and being in the Images Thanksgiving Tour this fall (fingers crossed!)
The Orillia Museum of Art and History’s online store is open, and its QuarARTine online art auction is ongoing, and can be found here. These are smaller works of art that can be purchased very reasonably, and help support the museum during these pandemic closures. Bid if you can!
Creative Nomad Studios is offering an At Home Art Kit and lessons for kids, on Jan. 18. For lots more information and to sign up, click here.
If you would like to support your local creatives, reach out on Facebook or Instagram about websites, or curbside pick up. Some local galleries are snapping photos of work available and posting it on social media, so check it out there as well.
We will get through this, but it’s definitely going to be a long winter inside. Make it better by purchasing some unique local art to beautify your home.
Take care and stay safe!Send your arts news to annaproctor111@gmail.com by Tuesday at noon to be included in this column.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
