PART ONE
Katherine Day - Canadian Painter, Illustrator, Quilt Designer, Folk-Artist, Writer, Homesteader -
Her Spiritual Place On Earth Was Her Cherished Property in Ontario's Oro-Medonte Region
By Ted Currie
We must now offer a number of preamble apologies, to first of all, acknowledge, that even when every word is expended, to its final enclosing punctuation, in this particular artist-biography, it will, to our standard, be at best, a modest attempt to broaden the existing template of knowledge, regarding Katherine Day's personal and professional history. As we have with other biographies and histories, we have pursued over the past forty years, of our story-building enterprise, we created the enhanced template to facilitate additional information requirements, to be sought-out by all the biographers and historians yet to come. It is thus, and we are humble about our contribution, still very much a work in progress, that may become even more substantial in the coming years, by the diligent sleuthing of others interested in Katherine Day's story. To be part of the biographical process is of great satisfaction to us. We have pursued many similar biographies, which in raw form, would have been, admittedly, but with some regret for lack of development, safely stored in community and museum archives, but never written into a formal manuscript or published as a story for the general public. We do take great pride in the painstaking process of piecing the information together, like a giant puzzle, into a story that recreates a history and mood of an era, and its personalities; relevant to how our regional character, and both provincial and national identities have evolved, thanks in part, to the creative enterprise and cultural influence of artists like Katherine Day. We are admittedly indebted to this archives collection, left by Miss Day, affording us, quite by a collector's happenstance, this opportunity to expose ourselves to an artist, who was a fountain of creative energy. We welcome new information and we will add details to this manuscript accordingly, to make it more responsible and dynamic, to the purpose of what should and could be, a truly solid and well balanced biography for the benefit of future generations of art lovers,
Before we actually began, in any earnest way, to engage in the arduous mission, of sleuthing-out facts, reading and re-reading manuscripts and regional histories, we felt it necessary to travel through the subject region of Ontario. It was this part of Simcoe County that fueled her creative ambitions. Earlier this spring, shortly after acquiring the archives material, we began, with great enthusiasm, our almost weekly travels along the many picturesque miles, of those long, characteristically beautiful stretches of heritage roadways, merging subtly into the twisting, rolling country lanes of Oro-Medonte, that writer Kenneth Wells once thrived-upon, for the editorial content of his famous "Owl Pen" stories.
We felt it quite necessary, from the onset of this immersion into the artist's life and times, to ask permission of our partner, in this proposed and highly speculative biography. Katherine Day's memorial was of the utmost concern to us, and each time we visited her home region on a day trip, we pondered how she would feel, spirit or otherwise, to two strangers working with her most intimate biography and sketch books.
I must pause momentarily here, in order to clear up misconceptions about our qualifications to write such a text, in this historical effort, of working, or at least attempting to seek the cooperation, of the spiritual qualities and quantities of, well, "the deceased". You see, strange as this may seem, especially if you are new to our story-lines, Suzanne and I have always proceeded in this way, in the preparation of local artist biographies. And whether it is actually possible to communicate with those who have passed, or not, is less the point than the results we generally get, from our willingness to allow for spiritual input to move our work along. The first step is to sense-out the positive energy and goodwill of the project, which doesn't mean we abandon the negatives of the story, or the sadness associated, which can be profound to the point of us becoming teary-eyed at the tragedy unfolding. Rather, it is important for us to feel we are being welcomed into the fold of the story, which means, for any biographer, a period of time deeply committed to intimate details, the subject, in life, would probably have preferred remain undetected and forever private.
For what we knew was going to be a lengthy research project, for the purposes of this summary biography, Suzanne, my life partner and long-suffering research assistant, in regional heritage, and I, as we have with similar adventures, felt it was a matter of spiritual protocol, as a first step, to visit the gravesite of former Canadian artist, Katherine Day. Set in the mottled daylight and shadows of the beautiful, calming, hardwood-lined landscape, of St. James Anglican Cemetery, in the City of Orillia, where her mortal remains are buried, in the Day family plot, we paused for a few moments longer, to ask Katherine Day if it was okay to carry-on with research, and the plan to write and then publish her biography. As well as exhibit some of her sketches from the archives collection we had purchased.
Our meeting with this highly skilled, wonderfully talented Ontario artist, came the moment I spotted a cardboard box filled with old sketch pads and tattered manuscripts at an Orillia antique shop. As a long time antique dealer, and regional historian, it is impossible for me to leave such a discovery without at least a cursory examination. Some of my best finds have come courtesy these casual encounters, and especially in overflowing boxes found in such obscure places, as in the dark neighborhood of tall-boy dressers and pedestal tables awaiting a decorator's affections. From our first meeting, and it only took a few seconds to convince me I had found a jewel in the rough, the relationship with Orillia area artist, Katherine Day was seeded; if only at first, as the rescuer of her bits and pieces of personal biography, contained in this rather plain container, pulled up, and free of the shadows of more attractive antiquities. As it would turn out, and as contradiction to the modesty of the original situation in which it was discovered, in the early spring of this year, it would influence our lives in a most positive way ever since. Suzanne and I both agree, that we are better for having found this box of archives materials. And our relationship with Katherine Day has become one of those curious cherished friendships that thrives on that spreading sense of goodwill I noted earlier in this introduction. What began with pensive concern about our compatability to represent a lifetime of her art work, and creativity in general, smoothed into a most attractive and inspirational relationship, much as if we had known her as a chum from as far back as childhood play, maturing into the intricacies of an adult friendship. To say we became kindred spirits is to assume too much, because we are dealing, of course, with the speculation of the deceased. But for our part, what fear we had in the beginning, that we might insult the memory of a fine artist, and a warm human being, has turned out pleasantly, to be something altogether comforting, and full of hope, that the memory of Katherine Day will be revitalized for the future. This then, has been well worth the effort of building a relationship with a biography, a story that should inspire us all about fortitude, and the gumption to promote and celebrate creativity.
As we have with other regional Canadian artists, our main reason for pursuing completion of this biography, other than to bring a good story back to the forefront, is to offer the finished text and published illustrations, to the archives collection of the National Gallery, in Ottawa, the Art Gallery of Ontario, in Toronto, the Historical Society of the City of Orillia, and museums in the area of Simcoe County wishing to know more about Katherine Day. It is not intended to be published in book form and was never intended to be a for-profit effort, except for the fact, that it is, obviously, being released on our antique shop's facebook page. It was afterall, a purchase made for the benefit of our business, in the first place, but we could never, upon reading through the contents of the old box, and fully appreciating its national significance, have sold it on the rebound; as we most certainly would have, if the purchased item had been a Victorian parlor table or a pine pie safe. The contents held us spell-bound. We are grateful to Carousel Collectibles, of Orillia, for making this collection available to us as lovers of Canadian history.
On Saturday, October 2nd, 1915, Isaac Day was the Honourary Chairman of the first School Fair in Oro. In 1888, the year before his daughter Katherine was born, Isaac Day, of Orillia, was appointed "School Inspector of Oro," a positioned that broadened to include South Muskoka, until he retired in 1929. "The School Inspector (Day) reported on June 15th, 1888, (shortly after taking up his responsibilities with the school board) that the attendance at Oro Station was low because of Diphtheria, and the inscription on tombstones in the cemetery show that during this period, this dreaded disease took its toll." This information was found in the excellent regional history, "The Story of Oro," published in 1972. Isaac Day was a stalwart chap who was well respected in the region, for his handling of school affairs, and in the manner he sought improvements to the cash-strapped rural system, to create more equality in educational services. Strict, dogged about his work, and ready to scrap for what he believed was best for the students of the region, Isaac Day earned his place in local history. Katherine Day carried many of the same qualities, and was not adverse to making and defending a point of view, and working hard to achieve her objective. At no compromise of her kindly and cooperative character. She was of all things, a community supporter, and never turned away a friend in need.
The first and most significant resource we consulted, beyond the raw manuscripts from the archive collection, was John Craig's 1977 first edition history, "Simcoe County - The Recent Past," published by The Corporation of the County of Simcoe," illustrated by Margot Anderson. Historian John Craig offers a wealth of information regarding the life and art work of Katherine Day, in only a few short paragraphs, which gives an accurate introductory profile of the young artist, daughter of a prominent family of Orillia, in the field of public education. The Isaac Day family home is today, listed as one of Orillia's heritage residences. In the words of Mr. Craig, "For some years Miss Perry (a noted area artist), painted with four other district women of considerable talent: Katherine Day, Mrs. James Harvie, Mrs. J.E. Hinds and Miss G.M. Kidd. They became known locally as 'The Group of Five'."
He notes that, "Katherine Day," a member of this group of artists, "studied in Paris and London during the 1930's, before returning to her native district. In Paris she had been greatly influenced by the teaching of famed engraver and etcher, Nick Eekman, whose wood cuts recaptured so much from the great period of Flemmish art.
"For a while Miss Day toyed with the idea of remaining in Europe, but came to the conclusion that art usually, 'draws one back to the place where one was born.' Back home in Simcoe County, she had a house built to her specifications on a peaceful, fifty-acre parcel of land between Price's Corners and Jarratt, which she called 'Hawthornes'. Then, in 1947, she moved to a new home, also built to her design, a short distance away. With its Gothic windows and cathedral ceiling, 'Pax Cottage' (meaning "Kiss Of Peace") resembled an old and beautifully designed country church, a place of retreat and seclusion, almost a shrine."
The author indicates that here, at this precious sanctuary farmstead, "Katherine Day developed her unique monotypes, created by painting with oils on glass (the oil paints diluted with kerosene). The prints were made by gently pressing art paper over the still-wet designs. The technique was capable of imparting an almost ethereal quality to the rubbings, but it involved extremely delicate and hazardous work - about eight out of every ten paintings being ruined in the process, even under the most gifted hands.
"Miss Day, who also designed many beautiful Simcoe County quilts, exhibited in New York and enjoyed the admiration of many art critics. But she was basically content to enjoy the privacy and security of her beloved 'Pax Cottage,' turning out a few exquisite pieces of work and leaving the highly competitive world of international art to others."
According to biographical information contained in the archives of Concordia University, in the category of Canadian Women Artists, Katherine Day was born in Orillia, on the 7th of January 1889, and passed away on March 12, 1976. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Queen's University, in 1912, and initially decided to enter the field of social services, and volunteered as a nursing assistant in England, during the First World War, and beyond, serving from 1916 to 1920. After her return to Canada, she studied painting at the Winnipeg School of Art, under famed Group of Seven Artist, Franz Johnston, 1922 to 1923. Six years following this year of art instruction, she was accepted to resume her art education at the Ontario College of Art, in 1929-30, where she was tutored by numerous other influential Canadian artists.
Shortly after this instruction, she ventured to Europe, to London's Central School of Arts and Crafts, and on to Paris where she was a student of well appointed and accomplished artists, Nicolas Eekman and Henri Jannot, from 1933 to 1936. When she arrived back in Canada she became a member of both the Canadian Society of Graphic Artists, from 1935 to 1954, and the Canadian Society of Painters, Etchers and Engravers, from 1956 to 1964. She often exhibited her work at shows sponsored by these art associations. A woodcut on Japan paper entitled "Sap's Running," was accepted into the permanent collection of the National Art Gallery of Canada.
Tomorrow, we will continue with Part Two of the Katherine Day biography, detailing her friendship and artistic relationship to internationally acclaimed Flemmish artist Nicolas Eekman, again to be published on this facebook page. Please join us for this remarkable story.
In the words of Wilson Key, in the introduction of "The History of Oro", "Let us go forward having faith in ourselves and our township, building as did our forefathers for the future generations."
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