Back On Track With Frank Johnston Biography

A LITTLE PEEK AT 2013 - AND WHAT INTERESTING THINGS WILL BE HAPPENING OUT THERE -

BACK ON TRACK WITH FRANK JOHNSTON BIOGRAPHY

     THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK AND PLANNING FOR THE YEAR…..IN THE BLINK OF AN EMAIL. AFTER AN INITIAL PERIOD OF FRUSTRATION, WHICH WRITERS EXPERIENCE, ABOUT EVERY HOUR AND A HALF, I WAS ABLE TO ONCE AGAIN MAKE A CONNECTION WITH KIN, OF GRAVENHURST AND CANADIAN ARTIST, FRANK JOHNSTON. I HAD SET MYSELF A YEAR-LONG PLAN, ORIGINALLY, TO HUNT AND GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE TALENTED MR. JOHNSTON, WITH ASSISTANCE OF A NEPHEW, IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO. I WAS DELIGHTED WHEN HE FIRST MADE CONTACT WITH ME, BACK IN THE SUMMER, AND I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED NOW, WITH THE LATEST OFFER OF OVER 200 IMAGES OF HIS UNCLE'S PAINTINGS. THIS IS A BIG THRILL FOR ME, BECAUSE I CONSIDER JOHNSTON ONE OF THE FINEST ARTISTS TO HAVE EVER DEPICTED (PAINTED) OUR TOWN, HERE IN BEAUTIFUL SOUTH MUSKOKA. WITHOUT HESITATION, IT CAN BE SAID HE WAS THE DEFINITIVE ARTIST, AND FEW OTHERS CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF GRAVENHURST'S HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE HEYDAY OF THE STEAMBOAT INDUSTRY AT MUSKOKA WHARF. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO DELAY THE BIOGRAPHY, BECAUSE OF SOME FAILED COMMUNICATIONS, BUT WE SEEM TO BE BACK ON TRACK. I'VE GOT TO DO A LITTLE JUGGLING HERE, BECAUSE I TOOK ON ANOTHER FREELANCE HISTORY ASSIGNMENT…..BUT I THINK I CAN SQUEEZE IT ALL IN, FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS WINTER AND SPRING.  I WILL ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO A RARE AND VALUABLE SKETCH, CANADIAN GROUP OF ELEVEN ARTIST, HAROLD TOWN, DID OF HIS FRIEND FRANK JOHNSTON, WHO WAS ALSO KNOWN AS ONE OF THE FINEST PRINT-MAKES IN CANADA. JOHNSTON OFTEN WORKED WITH TOWN'S ART PRINTS, AND THIS IS DETAILED IN A BOOK, ENTITLED "HOT BREAKFAST FOR SPARROWS - HAROLD TOWN," WRITTEN BY IRIS NOWELL. THERE IS A GREAT BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH OF TOWN AND JOHNSTON, TOILING OVER THEIR WORK ON THE PRESS.

     I ENJOY RESEARCHING ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES. LAST YEAR I WORKED ON TWO. ADA FLORENCE KINTON, A PIONEER ARTIST OF HUNTSVILLE, AND LAKE OF BAYS ARTIST, RICHARD KARON. I HOPE TO HAVE AN ANNIVERSARY GET-TOGETHER WITH HIS SON RICHARD, WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL GETTING THE ON-LINE BIOGRAPHY OFF THE GROUND, LAST WINTER, WHICH HAS BEEN WELL USED AS A LOCAL ARTIST RESOURCE. THERE WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPANYING VIDEO AS PART OF THE KARON BIOGRAPHY. ONE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED RECENTLY, WHICH IS CERTAINLY INTERESTING TO ME, IS THAT I BEGAN DEVELOPING A HEAVY READERSHIP IN POLAND, OVER THE PAST MONTH. MUCH OF THE BIOGRAPHY, OF RICHARD KARON, HAS TO DO WITH THE YOUNG PAINTER'S LIFE IN POLAND, ESPECIALLY THE POIGNANT PERIOD DURING THE GERMAN OCCUPATION. HIS MOTHER WAS SHOT BY THE NAZIS, WHO MAY HAVE BELIEVED SHE WAS PART OF THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT, IN THE WAR-TORN COUNTRY. EVEN NOW, MY READERSHIP IN POLAND, IS SUBSTANTIAL……AND HAS PROBABLY BEEN TRANSLATED. WE ARE ABLE TO TRACK READERS THROUGH THIS BLOG REGISTRY. I ALSO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL FOLLOWING OF CANADIAN SNOW-BIRDS RESIDING SEASONALLY IN FLORIDA AND ARIZONA. WHAT I'M SO PLEASED ABOUT, IS THAT FOLKS ARE ARCHIVING BACK INTO MY FILES FOR BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, AND HISTORIES FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, PLUS CONSULTING MY OTHER BLOG SITES, INCLUDING THE RICHARD KARON RESOURCE SITE. YOU CAN DO THE SAME, IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH THE SERIES AND VIDEO LAST SPRING. YOU CAN DO A SEARCH OF RICHARD KARON AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE BLOG-SITE.

      ON THE OFF-CHANCE THAT YOU STILL HAVE SOME FRANK JOHNSTON GREETING CARDS OR PRINTS,…..POSSIBLY AN ORIGINAL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. IF YOU COULD TAKE A DIGITAL IMAGE OF THE ART WORK, AND EMAIL IT TO ME, WITH YOUR STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE THE IMAGE ONLINE, WE WILL ADD IT TO THE INVENTORY OF PAINTINGS WE HAVE ALREADY FOUND AND RECEIVED, FROM OTHER SOURCES. THIS IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK FRANK JOHNSTON, POSTHUMOUSLY FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL WORK HE UNDERTOOK, TO PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE, NOT ONLY IN GRAVENHURST, BUT IN THE WIDER MUSKOKA. BUT OF COURSE, HIS WORK WAS CANADA-WIDE, AND HE DID COMMERCIAL ART WORK FOR MANY OF CANADA'S BEST KNOWN HISTORIC SITES, FROM THE EAST TO WEST COAST. THERE'S A LOT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT FRANK JOHNSTON. THE MAN WHO KNEW HIM BEST, WAS WRITER, PUBLISHER AND MUSICIAN, HUGH CLAIRMONT. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A FEW CHATS WITH HUGH ABOUT FRANK, SO I KNOW HOW WELL HE WAS THOUGHT OF, AND HOW HIS ART WORK WAS RESPECTED PROVINCIALLY AND NATIONALLY. IT SURE WASN'T EASY WORKING WITH THE PERSNICKETY HAROLD TOWN…..ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING BOTH MEN HAD AGGRESSIVE TEMPERS AND SHORT FUSES. LOTS MORE STORIES ABOUT FRANK TO COME. I'M SO PLEASED THINGS HAVE WORKED OUT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE BIOGRAPHY.

SOME INTERESTING IDEAS FOR OUR TOWN

     I like the idea of community gardens being provided, for a nominal fee, at the newly refurbished recreation centre. It's worked in many urban municipalities. It even worked on the fictional Coronation Street, where characters Jack and Vera had their "allotment." There's nothing like gardening for sustenance, to bring together kindred spirits. It has a lot of potential. I do suggest that soil samples be taken, in terms of public liability, being in proximity to a rail line. Past land uses might not seem a big deal, but what may have been dumped into the soil, over the century, might offer some unwelcome surprises, when land use is turned agricultural. As well, ongoing contamination from passing trains will have to be considered, especially those hauling tank cars full of dangerous chemicals, and if there is any possibility of contamination of not just the soil, but growing plants. And then we must consider the numb-nut vandals, who might target such a nice and productive community project. There have to be some security measures implemented to avoid situations of practical-joke-urination on the crops, by those who have a dark sense of humor. There are other potential dangers posed by interlopers, that could increase the risk of dangerous contamination.

     Vandals have recently hit the building we rent on Muskoka Road, for our family business. Taggers were able to put three layers of paint, over about a week, onto the exposed cement block wall facing the main street. They must have been out there for some time, because it's a fairly elaborate work. So thus, if there are vandalism deniers out there……just check our building for proof. And we know each summer, the rascals pull up flower beds, and dump planters, and place beer bottle empties in the planters that haven't been toppled. So when I suggest security, for the community gardens, we should think a little outside the box, before the ground is cultivated…..just how rotten it would be, to have thriving gardens nearing harvest….destroyed by dumb asses, bored with themselves.

     The same goes for the proposed solar energy upright units, some being erected in Rotary Gull Lake Park. The first consideration, is the cost of vandalism, as weighed against the cost of the installations. Over the years we've seen a lot of bad stuff at that park, when the lights go down, and the sun sets. We've taken it upon ourselves, because of our family connection to The Barge, to usher lots of teenagers off the platform. It still is a location of choice, for the drinking crowd, who leave their bottles as evidence of just how big and thirsty the party-goers were, that particular evening. It's like this around the town, but nothing like the time vandals took hours, to reconfigure, the welcome garden on Bethune Drive, near the junction of Highway II. Andrew, Robert and I, were having breakfast at McDonalds, one morning, and we were just casually looking out the side windows. There it was, bold and very green. They had created the design of a huge (see it from an airplane) cannabis plant, in decorative rocks, I seem to recall, to welcome visitors to town…..which must have caught a few folks off-guard. It was a Cheech and Chong moment. This kind of operation wasn't done in fifteen minutes. If they can do something like this, they can throw rocks at solar panels, or worse, and they can easily mow down a community garden in its prime…..if the ill-will is there. We need a revitalized community watch program, to help curtail some of this nonsense, which costs us all a lot of money to constantly repair.

     Getting back to these new vertical, less intrusive solar panels, the town may be interested in installing locally; I think it's a great idea and would set the stage for more public action and reaction…..which is what we need for a green movement to be worth more than its promotion.

     Although I may be the last person, expected to offer up this suggestion, I think this year, it is important for the Town of Gravenhurst, to find any way possible, to fund the Communities in Bloom program, after a reduction in grant money, during last budget's whittling work. Even if the group was able to find corporate sponsors to lighten the financial burden. I have watched the success of this program for quite a few years now, and have sat in the front row of the Awards Ceremonies, each August, when they've been held on The Barge, during one of the popular "Music on the Barge," Sunday nights. It's good to get the people of this community interested in these types of inclusive, wide-ranging projects, that can inspire whole neighborhoods to beautify their properties…..and take up gardening for fun. I was sorry to learn it had some funding cuts last year…..but it's a program that has a lot of potential for the future…..and shouldn't be denied its chance to bloom again on the provincial and national stage. We may well underestimate just how many hobby gardeners we've got out there……who could be encouraged to sign up for Communities in Bloom competitions. I know the town budget process will be another horrendous affair of belt tightening and departmental reductions, but I do think that this flower-power thing, should be investigated, for the potential it might hold down the road……of bringing residents of this town together again…..and what better way, than through community beautification. Suzanne and I aren't role models when it comes to gardening, but we love our lilacs, roses, and flowering shrubs…..that make us so happy to see the spring sun melting away the remaining snow. We certainly support the community initiative. I'm only a blogger amongst the thousands, but I'm always willing to give them a plug if and when it is needed. In fact, I think it's such a worthy initiative, that I believe the group should be able to apply for funding from the Haight Bequeath…..because I see the strength in numbers, such a co-operative effort attracts. If there is one thing I sense about this community that's diminished over the decades, it's this coming-together for the common good aspect. Gardening isn't for everyone. But flowers and attractive properties are a clear promotion, and visible indication, that we take hometown values with fifty shades of pride. I think it would be great if some corporate sponsors chipped in as well. Maybe we could even convince the vandals, to stop tagging for awhile, and tend some public gardens…..to put their artistic talents out for visitor consumption……and for all our senses of well being.

     Just a few ideas from the bleachers. This was the title of my second column, after the first run of "Cold Coffee," back in the days I was editor of the Bracebridge Herald-Gazette. I had to change the name of the column, because my associate writer, Brant Scott, used his column, "A Wee Biscuit," to make fun of my title. Each week, he'd have a one-liner in his copy, referring to my column as, "Cold Turkey," "Tepid Slime," or "Chilled Onions." I would have fired him but he was the best writer on staff…..and my confidant at the tavern each night. He lost interest in harassing me when I changed the heading to read, "From the Bleachers." So outside of getting slivers in the behind, I've found it the perfect backdrop for making suggestions…….like when I used to tell the ump in baseball, that he needed new glasses and a smaller behind. So today, this was my editorial offering from The Bleachers. Agree, or disagree, but please come back another day.

     Trust you had an enjoyable New Years. Ours was quiet and pet-filled. Good food and beverage, and commitments made for 2013, that we probably won't be able to live-up-to. Same old, same old. Do you know we're only six months from the start of the Music on the Barge season. I bet Fred Schulz just had a big gulp, and the first bead of perspiration of worry…..as has become his tradition, of making the summer concert series a stellar success. His old friend, Brian Good was up to Gravenhurst on New Year's Eve, and dropped in to see our boys in the music shop. Andrew and Robert have been helping with the Barge concerts for the past ten years. He's of course, one of the famous Good Brothers, part of that Barge tradition Fred has forged season by season, for more than forty years. He was only here for a short visit, so we couldn't get Fred over to the shop in time. Music on the Barge has played a big part in many of our lives that's for sure, with so many amazing connections and friendships, that it deserves a book on its own. I'm game. It's a long overdue history.

     Thanks for visiting. Make sure you find time, to come again.