Richard Karon Biography 11

RICHARD KARON BIOGRAPHY - OUR CONCLUSION IS ACTUALLY OUR BEGINNING

THE LEGACY OF A MUSKOKA ARTIST -

     The cycle of life. This blog-biography has been written in journal format. Daily entries. Carrying inadvertent judgements about good or inclement weather, and how it affects my arthritic fingers. Curious activities in the neighborhood. They always inspire me to be happy or angry. Like when a chainsaw is being wielded by a neighbor, unfamiliar with the lot lines, between his property and ours. All with the burden of strange moods, like wearing a cat on my shoulders, but feeling obliged to let fate run its course. I am not an island, you see, and each day brings about new interests, and initiatives I wish to launch. I get bored easily, so I try to self-inspire by reading and walking in the woods, numerous times each day.

     I have incorporated updates on the weather, what it was like during my walks down into the boglands, here at Birch Hollow, in the Town of Gravenhurst, and included news of the recent passing of an old friend here, by the name of John Black, who worked with me when I was an editor with Muskoka Publications. I most recently learned of the passing, of another friend, and former hockey teammate, Kim Hammond of Bracebridge, and this has been within one week, while finishing up the text of this biography of Muskoka Artist Richard Karon. I awoke this morning, at 5:30 a.m., to get a head start on this final chapter, only to find one of our house cats, named Fester, on the brink of her demise, and Suzanne and I spent the final hours of her life, passing her from one lap to the other, until the end. I buried her in a level bit of ground near where the trilliums will soon burst through the soft earth, and blossom in the May sunlight. I stood out in our little woodlot, listening to the chatter of birds and squirrels in the overhead boughs, thinking about the cycle of life, and how despite the passing of one life, budding new existence is in evidence all around me. Every day that I have sat at this keyboard, I have been influenced by all kinds of events and activities in this house, on our property, and over in the calming woods, situated above The Bog, here on Segwun Boulevard. Some days I have wound up here, at this old and familiar desk, full of vim and vinegar, and sat for hours typing the Karon biography. On other days, I've had several of our other rescue cats (that had been dumped in our neighborhood), resting on my lap, or on the window sill, their gentle, non-intrusive purring, settling my impatience to get more done, at a faster pace.

    There have been other times when I felt the urgent need to wander through the woods, and experienced some unanticipated resentment, having to work all day to meet deadlines. On other occasions, with Mozart playing in the background, I felt as if I was born to write. The next day, the complete opposite. I hated being a writer. After having just buried our own bandy-legged wee beastie, we called Fester, inspired by the Addams Family, I didn't feel up to writing at all. I stared out the window, trance-like, for what must have been a half hour. All of a sudden, just before making a decision to take the day off, I had this thought about the cycle of life, and how I've written this biography in journal format…..so that I would reflect the mood of the moment…..the light and shadow of each day. This was intentional, because I wanted it to be personal. While it would seem preposterous to put news of a cat's death, into the body copy of a book, as it was unrelated to the story, it wasn't so ridiculous to include the event in this blog……at this moment. And after I'd decided to make a little tribute, to my old friend Fester, I felt better.

   Writing has always been a release for me, in this regard. Funny thing, though, that after eleven chapters of the biography, about the personal challenges of being an artist, I had just put myself in the very same position, as Mr. Karon had found himself in…….throughout his artistic career. He had to paint through the same fluctuations of inspiration and moodiness, contentment and frustration, happiness and sadness……, that I have experienced and worked through, every day of this biography, from early January. Without thinking about it before, it took the last of an old cat's nine lives, to make me realize the actuality of the creative process. What Karon faced each day, to produce his landscapes, I had been subtly etched, by precisely the same ups and downs, of too much inspiration, or not enough. I sat for a few moments pondering this epiphany. Realizing that every mood I studied, about the artist, was exactly the same enterprise, that I was utilizing to write his biography. On positive days, when I felt rested and excited about the day's work, I'd write twice as much, with a lot fewer corrections to deal with when editing. When I found myself, by circumstance, melancholy, and frustrated, I not only wrote less, but had hours of work, to correct mistakes. I thought about Karon having thrown still wet, rolled-up canvases into storage, because he was unhappy with his work that day. I often re-wrote chapters three times to make improvements. Of course, that is the forgiveness of a computer screen versus stretched canvas.

Richard Karon in the forest

     "There is serene and settled majesty in woodland scenery, that enters into the soul, and dilates and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations," wrote Washington Irving, in his book, "Bracebridge Hall." "They are haunted by the recollections of great spirits of past ages, who have sought for relaxation among them from the tumult of arms, or the toils of state, or have wooed the muse beneath their shade."

     For well more than a decade now, I have kept this book, by Washington Irving, on my desk, no further than my outstretched arm. I purchased it, in the late 1990's, when I was doing research regarding the official naming of the Town of Bracebridge. The name came from Irving's book, as granted by Postal Authority, William Dawson LeSueur. LeSueur of course, gave the fledgling post office its name, as a tribute to a great author of the time……and as much, a gesture of goodwill, for the future prosperity of a pioneer settlement. A name with considerable literary provenance, to one of the best known authors of the day, a parallel talent to writer Charles Dickens. LeSueur when he wasn't administering business for the federal postal department, was also making a name for himself, as a literary critic and historian. While it's been about 14 years since I started my research on Irving, and LeSueur, it's been roughly the same time, trying to convince the Town of Bracebridge they should be proud of their namesake. Hasn't happened yet. I'm not hopeful either. Point is, I found the writings of Mr. Irving to fit my own moods and outlooks, and I consult it frequently for inspiration. When I would pause to think about Richard Karon's landscapes, and about the panoramas he captured in the Township of Lake of Bays, I might find little gems like the following, that reminded me how storied our woodlands have been throughout history.

     "As the leaves of trees are said to absorb all noxious qualities of the air, and to breathe forth a purer atmosphere, so it seems to me as if they drew from us all sordid and angry passions, and breathed forth peace and philanthropy," wrote the American author, creator of the famous "Legend of Sleepy Holly," and "Rip Van Winkle."

     I wish, for the preparation of this biography, I had enjoyed the company of the painter himself. It would have been so much more insightful and complete, if I had even been able to read notes, he might have penned into a personal journal. I would have been contented to have read anything, the man had thought important enough to jot down, even hastily, on notes he made of paintings, and sizes he required for wood framing. For much of this, I have depended on the word of others. I've spent a lot of time and research, looking at the circumstances of his life, and his travels in Europe and to North America, without a shred of hard evidence, other than the papers he filed as a "displaced person" seeking refuge in Canada. While the Karon family has been very generous with all the information they possessed, and have held nothing back, that would help fulfill this biography, it is still the case, much of the story has been diminished because the artist, himself, didn't play a key role in the editorial content. The same situation, occurred for me, during the preparation of the biography for Outdoor Education Teacher / Canadian book collector, David Brown, of Hamilton. I needed Dave Brown at my side, because everything else had to come from friends and associates. He appointed me as his biography, and died before we had written the first word of chapter one. Dave didn't leave any journals behind, that would have helped me with actuality, and the personal integrity of the biography. It became my story, and the story as recalled by others. The same can be said for Richard Karon, that my regret remains, I didn't have the chance to conduct a sit-down discussion, in person, to converse candidly, about the artist's interests and objectives.

     As a matter of some irony, after twelve years, I have only just recently, received a large contribution of editorial material, regarding Dave Brown, and his Camp Comack (Haliburton) days, working as an outdoor instructor. These reminiscences came from a long time friend who contacted me recently, referencing what I had already written about our mutual friend. He hadn't been aware that Dave had passed away, in the late 1990's, as he had been in Western Canada. The information that he provided me, while late, is still very relevant to the story of this well known outdoor educator…..and will be used in biographical updates. I'm sincerely hoping this will be the case with Richard Karon, that new information will be submitted in the years to come, to infill what we presently don't know about his early years as an artist, traveling in Europe. The great advantage of composing this as an online biography, is that it can be easily updated and revised, as new information becomes available. As with Mr. Brown's book, I'm not likely to reprint it, but rather, bring it to cyberspace as well, so it to can be upgraded with newfound material when available.

     There is a dog eared letter, pasted into the scrapbook, Richard Karon kept for his cut-out press reviews, that deserves special mention. It was dated the second of November 1976, and was written by an individual who had read an article, published in the North Bay Nugget, about one of the artist's exhibitions. It may be the case, this art admirer also saw one of his paintings up close, possibly at a North Bay showing, but didn't actually approach the artist at this time. The letter is poorly written, somewhat difficult to read, and eccentric, but Karon found something important about the message within. It obviously contained something he identified with, because it is pasted side-by-side letters of thanks, from Frank Henry, former administrator of South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, recognizing the gift, of an original painting, the artist had just recently presented to the health-care facility. It begins, "Mr. Karon. Please be kind enough to read me. Sunday afternoon, again I was moved by your painting. Now to read how, you too, have been out of a job, penniless, also exiled from your country, because you have great courage; and with hard work and perseverance, you've done it. I will go on alone; the example of your life gives me the assurance that I've done well, to leave everything behind, to paint with oxygen. Well, I just want to say, I admire your courage - love your skies - thanks for being you - a person in a million, who is still able to impress me; a person (the letter writer) who has suffered, to conquer threats myself, in the beauty of the hour, leaving forever. One can be so lonely, in this field of time, to keep a vestige of a moment in color, of a deep emotion, surrounded by futility in this world of over-consumption - when the true soul is forever a foreigner. Thanks again and accept my respect."

     The Richard Karon biography has been remarkable in many ways, and very much different from others I have worked on, during the past twenty years. I was, quite frankly, unsettled, at the beginning of the project, to find out that this significant Muskoka artist, had been buried in relative obscurity, away from the District he loved so much. Without reference, at graveside, to him having been an established Canadian Artist, and a friend of Muskoka, seemed reason enough to start making amends…..for what we should have done, in his memory, much earlier than this. Even his obituary, in the local press, in March 1987, wasn't more than a few paragraphs of very few words. I have no idea now, whether I wrote anything in The Muskoka Sun, The Muskoka Advance or The Herald-Gazette, of which I was an editor at the time of his death. I can't imagine having let this event go without acknowledgement, but I long-ago, sent off my paper files for re-cycling. What should have been front page news, was relegated to the community news, and I realize how we missed an important opportunity, to celebrate a storied and accomplished life.

     I know the family is considering some type of memorial tribute, to the work of Richard Karon, in the Village of Baysville, but as of yet it hasn't been finally determined, what would be most suitable, and appropriate, to remind citizens and seasonal residents, of the landscapes he was best known.

     I would like to thank all the kind folks who helped us out, during the course of this research, with stories and images of original Karon paintings in their possession. They have helped us build a resource for the future, and it is already being sought out by those interested in the artist's life. It has been submitted, of course, to both the National Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ontario, for their respective reference libraries…..for use by researchers in the future. I want to add special thanks to Muskoka artist Janet Stahle-Fraser, of the Township of Lake of Bays, for sharing, with the artist's son, and his daughter, Mr. Karon's original easel, which he gave to her shortly after closing his studio in the mid 1980's. The photograph with today's summation, of the Karon Biography, shows the artist's granddaughter, Aurora, peeking through the easel, still being used by the Lake of Bays artist. The background, of course, is Janet's studio setting. The meeting occurred in March, and it was certainly a highlight for Richard Sahoff Karon, as he had been searching for the elusive easel for many years.

     One art patron, who possesses several Karon originals, invited the young Karon and myself, to her house to see his father's paintings, and the hospitality we were shown, was generous and heart-warming. She asked only that her name not be used. Just having the opportunity to see how she had hung these paintings in a pine-clad Muskoka room, made us feel pretty good, about the respect his work was still garnering, years after his death. Both paintings were of waterscapes in close vicinity to Baysville.

     We had many kind notes and so many offers to visit, to see his major paintings, in homes across the district. We made this connection, in large part, thanks to the kindness of our regional newspaper, The Weekender, which published two of our requests for information on Mr. Karon. The responses were amazing, and at least half of this biography, and the available art images, came courtesy The Weekender's readership. Only hours after the first request was published, and the free Friday papers being delivered to the driveways throughout the district, we had begun receiving emails, and all kinds of offers of assistance, we couldn't have anticipated from just a Letter to the Editor. It was almost non-stop for two full weeks, and it literally gave the biography its wings.

     My son Robert and his musical partner, Dani O'Connor, of Gravenhurst, provided the music for the tribute video, which I hope you will take time to watch again. Robert did the filming and created the video. Dani provided the vocals.

     Here is a list of those friends of this biography, who offered us, on loan, images of their Richard Karon paintings; Joyce A. Medley, Beverley J. Robinson, Ches. and Betty Fulton, Shirley Bullock, Marilyn MacDougall, Kristina Campbell, Lois and Barry Swan, Ken and Cheryl Mann, Leigh Beal, Ike Kelneck, Peter Jackson, Ellen Gofforth and Rhoda Moeller and the collection of paintings owned by Richard Sahoff Karon. If we have left your name off this list we have done so inadvertently. Please let us know we have left your name off and we will make the correction.