Muskoka Has Always Been My Really Big Narnia-Like Magic Wardrobe And I've Been Escaping Through it for More Than Fifty Years

Birch Hollow Photo by Suzanne Currie

     (In reference to author C.S. Lewis) "Lewis had first considered writing a story for children in 1939, when one of his young evacuees (from potential London bombing) had shown a fascination with the wardrobe at The Kilns (the authors home) and had asked Lewis what was behind it; whether there was another way out through the other side. Lewis was intrigued by this and found it impossible to remove the image from his mind. Most of us have imagined at some time or other, perhaps in moments of unhappiness, that all our problems could be solved and our dreams realized if we could leave this world behind. Doors and windows lead quite obviously to another part of our own universe but what about the wardrobe, dark and warm and secret, the back of it somehow distant but in fact very close. Anything could be in there, everything is possible. Lewis himself had been fascinated by the idea of the magic wardrobe since he was a boy when he had read "The Aunt and Annabel" by Edith Nesbitt, in which a new and special world is entered through just a wardrobe." (The book title is "The Man Who Created Narnia," by Michael Cole 1994 Lester Publishing.

     Muskoka is as extraordinary as the voyeur wishes it to be, or as ordinary as wishes demand. It can be a most enchanted place or a locale possessing northing spectacular suited to the lovers of commonplace and uncompromising plainness in their lives. But for those who cherish potentials and possibilities, and who are keen to treasure hunt, uncovering the universality of Muskoka is like finding that the Lewis "Wardrobe" has something special to offer, should you be willing to engage adventure.

     I have, for many years, reading through the mountain of books written in, and about Muskoka, and examined closely, the work of artists and artisans who have created their artwork here, and I have yet to find definitive works that an historian like me, could latch onto as characterizing the region I know from most of a lifetime exploring its nooks and crannies, and of course, it's inherent magic. I happen to be one of those voyeurs who has always found Muskoka extraordinary, and it is the reason I have never even considered moving to some other region for work or home comforts. Yet it has puzzled me why I can attach so few names to this register of artists and writers who have made serious imprints on the region as a whole, such that most of us can list them casually, as being the beacons of our cultural heritage from a literary and artistic perspective. It doesn't mean to suggest we haven't been the welcome recipients of massive artistic profiling, as our district has benefitted, from the beginning of its settlement period commencing in the late 1850's, but that a majority of these artists and writers, and some musicians, have never lived here more than a few years to complete their studies, and literary profiles. We have in fact, entertained some highly significant names in Canadian literature; from poets such as Pauline Johnston, Sir Charles G.D. Roberts, Bliss Carmen, Wilson MacDonald, and authors, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Sir Gilbert Parker, Marshall Saunders, Algernon Blackwood, Max Braithwaite, Wayland "Buster" Drew, and many others of international acclaim. Artists such as Mower-Martin, Homer Watson, Tom Thomson, A.Y. Jackson. David Milne, Arthur Lismer and Franz "Frank" Johnson, to name a few. Of course we have had many home grown artists and accomplished poets and authors of all genres of work. But we have not had the wandering poet / authors such as walked the countryside of New England, such as Emerson, Longfellow and Thoreau, from his Walden Pond. There are many New England writers, like Herman Melville, who came to represent the region in the historical sense, and who are still revered to this day, as I dare say part of literary tourism which is still hale and hardy in their honor.

     Muskoka is well represented, of course, by many artists, artisans, free lance writers, poets, historians, and photographers, as well as being a haven for musicians and song writers, and this has all created a huge social / cultural quilting from one end of the district to the other, that is promoted by music festivals, art studio tours, and art exhibitions through the district, promoting the reality that Muskoka is an inspirational place to live, work and create. I was once, quite a few years back, invited to participate in a Muskoka Arts and Crafts Association lecture series, at the groups annual meeting, in Bracebridge, attending on behalf of Muskoka Publications, specifically the Muskoka Sun where I was Assistant Editor to Robert Boyer, the founder of the popular summer season publication. I was there to pitch our increasing interest in promoting the arts community in our coverage area, that in our opinion, had not been getting the media coverage it warranted; and that we wanted to help improve for our mutual benefit. I spent about an hour that night, trying to convince member artists that it was okay to send me profile information on their work, and to make sure they sent us any notices of upcoming open house events at their studios, and also to let us know if they were working on unique projects our readers might be interested in knowing about. The audience, honestly, hadn't been held spellbound by my pitch, and they had been fidgeting in their seats for most of my presentation. I could tell that my little speech had been about thirty to forty minutes too long to keep their interest. Here's why. They simply didn't believe that a money making outfit like our newspaper, was going to give them anything free, or send out a reporter to interview them without trying, in the preamble set-up, to sell them an advertisement. No ad, no story! I had a lot of undoing of past woes to get these folks to trust me, that there were no strings attached. Our readers wanted to know about them, and their work, and the company was willing to pay someone like me to visit their workshops and studio / galleries to write their individual stories.

     After the meeting had officially ended, I had an audience of a dozen artists who had crowded around me, to, in large measure, brow beat me into confessing what it would really cost them, if I did come out to do a story on their work. I still had my work cut out for me then, because it was difficult to explain why we had this sudden turn of respect for what the arts community could do for us, as a publication that requires ad copy and readers to keep the accountants happy. I did convert a few that evening, who were at the very least, willing to let me show them how this new level of co-operation would work, to our mutual benefit; giving the artists and artisans a media platform to promote themselves, and in so doing, giving Muskoka a little credit for being a wonderful host-residence. I was really trying to draw out the artists who would lend credit to the district in which they work, and are inspired, and considering that we were then one of the largest weekly publications, (from May to October) promoting all things Muskoka, it seemed more than likely, I would receive many positive testimonials from member artists; that yes, indeed, the region had played a major influence on the development of their work, and within their respective art creations, there was a distinguishable and embedded Muskoka character. I can report that there was support for our initiative, but not nearly what we had hoped for, when we began reaching out to artists. They were still suspicious we were out to make a profit off their backs, and they held out until other artists had worked with us over the next few months; and could attest to our honesty of mission statement.

     Funny end to that story, and once again, it won't make the history text. An artist member came up to me after the meeting, and in front of many witnesses, said in a very clear and determined voice, "Mr. Currie, thank you so much for the presentation and I really want your job." It was said twice, in fact, such that there was no way I could mistake the serious intent above what had been friendly banter to that point. The punch line? Well, I don't really have one, other than to report that the person who uttered that rather blunt statement of intent, did relieve me of my job within the year. Gosh, I was so impressive pitching co-operation between the arts community and the print media, that it so inspired one of my guests that night, to wangle a writing gig at my expense. So the bottom line is, well, I never did get to follow through completely on this plan to co-operate fully with the arts community, to increase their profile and show our commitment to celebrate their creative enterprises, because I was working from home as a free lance only a few months later. My interest and commitment remained the same and ever since I have found myself immersed in a number of artist biographies, including Richard Karon, Lake of Bays Artist, Bob Everett, Bracebridge and Muskoka Artist, Ada Florence Kinton, Huntsville Artist, and Frank Johnston, Gravenhurst Artist. I also dipped to the south to write the biography of Oro Medonte Artist, Katherine Day. I love the arts, and I love writing, and I sure love this region of Ontario. It is the reason to this day, after fifty years and some minor turbulence, I still enjoy any opportunity to work with the arts community, and delve deeper into what the Muskoka mystique has inspired of their creations. It is one of the cornerstones of this series of posts, and why I am always so excited to work with creators who feel the same about our region as I do; and who might even go as far as considering these environs like a really big and natural wardrobe in the spirit of the good Mr. Lewis.

     We are looking forward to working with the talented artist / illustrator, Sarah Cole, later this year. Please stay tuned to this site.