As a Catholic child of the fifties, the good sisters were a constant presence throughout my childhood and adolescence. They fascinated me and I even thought I might join an order at some point. Covered from head to toe in flowing veils and robes, they seemed to float as they walked. I thought of them as saintly, but later discovered they were as human as the rest of us.

Mixed media

7 x 15 in

Archival framing 10 x 18 in

$535

Growing up, I always was more impressed with old ladies than with old men. They were fierce under their flowery hats.  Elegance and propriety mattered to them and I

admired them for never letting themselves go in public, which I thought was the pinnacle of refinement.

Mixed media

10 x 7 in

$140

A photograph of my beloved grand-mère in front of the cottage designed and built by her menfolk. In the 50s and 60s, even modest workers could afford a flat in town and a cottage in the country - especially if they had the skills to build them themselves.

Dry pastel and ink on paper

11 x 14 in

$310

The elegant wife of a school commissioner, my mother raised six children, baked special birthday cakes and made most of our clothes. I thought of her as I drew this piece, remembering how my little brother Daniel craved her affection.

Dry pastel and ink on paper

12 x 10 in

$240

Every neighbourhood had its own James-Dean-type cool cat. Who was yours?

Reference: 1946 Photo by Ed Clark

Mixed media

14 x 11 in

$310

Storyteller and writer Gail Nyoka shared a black and white photo of herself and her sister and the sharp shadows immediately captured my attention. My sister Diane and I also had matching, but different coloured clothing that we wore on Sundays and special occasions.

Mixed media

11 x 9 in

Framed

$450

For those displaced by war, women who had lost husbands, or girls who found themselves without work when soldiers returned and took their jobs, poverty was the norm. If they were lucky enough to have an extra room in their flat, renting it out was about the only way to make ends meet. Those were my thoughts as I drew these little girls standing in the doorway.

Graphite, ink, coloured pencil

14 x 11

$300

My mother was an Anglo Montrealer. My father was a Franco Ontarian. We often packed into the car and drove the hour-long trip to Hawkesbury, sat outside on kitchen and lawn chairs and enjoyed kool aid, chips and hard candy - all treats we did not often get at home!

Mixed media

10.25 x 8.25 in

$170

When I saw this vintage photo of two women watching a Remembrance Day parade from their window years after VE day, I thought of how they must have felt watching the veterans march if they had lost a fiancé or son in the war.

Coloring pencils, markers, ink

9 x 12 in

$215

Catholic priests were respected and held a great deal of authority when I was growing up. A series on memories of my childhood would not be complete without them. Of course, we learned about the dark side of priesthood in the years since. For me, the process of drawing them turned into a meditation on faith, power and human frailty.

Mixed media

7 x 15 in

Archival framing 10 x 18 in

$535

Even though they may have worn slacks and old blouses in daily life, women in the 50s and 60s would not have been caught dead in them when leaving the house. Hats, gloves and an elegant deportment were the norm on Sundays in my neighbourhood.

Mixed media

12 x 12.5 in

$140

My grandmother had four sons. She took in boarders as well. These young men forged solid bonds and were always on hand to help. When family members were expropriated from Chenail Island for the construction of the Carillon dam, my dad, his brothers and "les gars" drove from Montreal every weekend to build homes for them. I remember them as much with hammers and saws in hand as with a glass of spirits as strong as their own.

Dry pastel and ink on paper

11 x 12 in

$260

Inspired by a photo of my father taken in the 60s when he took correspondence courses to complete his studies. To help support his family, he had quit school before finishing high school.

Mixed media on paper

5.75 x 9.75 in

$130

A vintage photo of this man reminded me of the older gentlemen of my childhood. Sometimes grumpy, sometimes playful, they were gruff, but mostly kind to me.

Mixed media

7.75 x 5 in

$78

My parents met working at Ma Bell's. Before my father brought home a flashy turquoise princess model, we owned one of these big black phones. We were privileged to have a private line while other families shared what was then called "party lines" and could listen in to each other's conversations.

Acrylic on canvas

Graphite, ink and marker on paper

7 x 7 in

This young woman relaxing with a frozen treat was the sketch that inspired the Fudgesicle/Apocalypse series.

7.75 x 5 in

$75

Joy and nervous anticipation marked the milestone of my first communion. When I saw the photo of these girls waiting to file into the church for theirs, I imagined the gamut of emotions they must be feeling and wanted to portray them. 

Acrylic on canvas

16 x 20 in

$800

When I found this photo of an elderly woman, I thought her beautiful and could not resist drawing her. There is a soft fierceness about her expression - as if she possesses a sad or fateful secret. 

Ink and gouache on paper

13.5 x 10

Framed

$570