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| Richard Karon's original easel returned to his son, Richard Jr. by Lake of Bays artist Janet Stahle Fraser |
RICHARD KARON POSTSCRIPT
Seeing Muskoka Through the Eyes of Those Who Create Art, Music, Literature and Folk Heirlooms - These Are The Builders of the Tradition I Want to Know and Share
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you, and to your significant others in the spirit of goodwill here in the heartland of Muskoka. In the autumn season, Richard Karon’s studio, in Lake of Bays, was a hive of social / cultural activity, as hundreds of art admirers took time to visit the painter-in-residence. To see the amazing autumn colors in this painted landscapes of Lake of Bays, Karon was the artist interpreter, who prominently infused all four seasons into his art panels. What a wonderfully inspiring studio-gallery it was, tucked into the intriguing woodland, situated just off Highway 117. It was secluded and private, yet it was always a welcoming place, for those out on a motoring tour of the lakeland. The Karon family was always pleased to visit with art lovers and just curious travellers, interested in what this part of Muskoka was all about. They left with a good impression of what they would later see, in real time, and actuality, as their journey continued.
Richard Karon, I believe, was the mysterious kindred spirit of mine. I just didn’t know it, at the time, as he was living and working near the Village of Baysville, in the natural paradise of Lake of Bays Township. I would have liked to talk with him at length about our obviously parallel interests in the nature of Muskoka. From a young age, still in high school in the early 1970’s, I began to hear and read about this fellow, Richard Karon, and by the time I was establishing my profession as both an antique dealer and writer, in the late 70’s, the name Karon was getting a solid amount of media scrutiny. When I became a new editor with Muskoka Publications, I gained access to Karon’s successes through news stories that came across my desk, and photographs of his latest exhibitions, including at the historically famous Bigwin Inn; or what was left of it by this time. It was just one of those things, I suppose, that I just never had the opportunity then, to do anything more than run the rather mundane press releases and media notices, of yet another show or exhibition of the artist’s latest work. What I do remember back then, is that I paid attention to what he was doing, and taking an interest in his studies of the Lake of Bays region of the District. When, later in life, I finally had reason to work on some publisher-free feature stories, I jumped at the chance to partner with the artist’s son, Richard Karon Jr., and together, we sort of made some local art history with our collaboration; which today has proven even more popular than a few years back, when it first appeared as a series of online posts. I think this re-visitation, over the past two weeks, confirmed something for me that I had wondered about, but had confirmed for me none the less. I have been studying the nature of this region by pen and journal; as Richard Karon studied nature via photographs, sketches, and with his paints applied to stretched canvas. There were a lot of parallels and I am sure it was the primary reason I kept him in my sights for so many years. I have wished for long and long that I could paint in the true artistic sense. Maybe he wanted to write as I have had the privilege. I wrote the following Postscript two days ago based on this idea of kindred spirits because it’s important to me, and it may be relevant to Richard Jr., who adored his father, and who has pursued additional biographical material for most of his adult life to better understand all the obstacles the artist had faced in his life, to enjoy the liberation that a paint board and wild places provided the creative mind. In short, this is a latent tribute to art and artist, and additionally, to all those who are part of the creative enterprise to represent this district of Ontario. I am in awe of creators. I hope it shows in the words published below.
I had just finished viewing twenty or more art panels, in my archives images, painted by Richard Karon, when I began thinking about some of the more profound parallels, that have fascinated me about his work, and my own interests in representing the natural character of Muskoka. Way back, and I mean way back, when I’d sit down at my window-side desk in the attic of the former home and medical office, of Bracebridge’s Dr. Peter McGibbon, on upper Manitoba Street, opposite the beautiful treed triangle of Memorial Park, I was less concerned then about writing anything that resembled an actual story. As a still-green writer-in-residence, in that charmingly haunted old house, I was keenly invested in trying to jot down observations; about, for example, the storybook view down upon the park, the bandshell, and the War Memorial, so poignantly adorned after the first snowfall of the autumn season. I felt that it was infinitely more important to observe and learn my history lessons about my home town, first as a silent, patient voyeur; than to ever have so recklessly stepped into an editorial commitment about a community I had really only known as a kid living a kid’s life. I wanted more, much more, after returning to Bracebridge after a university hiatus, that to me, left me with some years absent to catch-up on, which back in the late 1970’s, marked the very early stages of the dramatic urban changes that are still occurring at such a significant and possibly dangerous speed. Or at least this is the way it seems to me, each week when I find reason to make the short drive from Gravenhurst to re-visit the old hometown, even if it’s now mostly for business purposes.
I would sit at the window with notepads and manual typewriter, trying to catch the essence of all that was transpiring out front of the McGibbon house, and of course Memorial Park, which played host to hundreds of interesting rambles and sojourns each day; whether it was the school kids running and playing impromptu tag, on the way to and from McMurray Street, or the adults who dawdled there with friends in deep conversation, parents with strollers and tag-along toddlers taking the scenic rout to their walk uptown; and all the other park visitors with no particular place to go, except to admire this scenic green space on busy Manitoba Street, connecting the true Downtown with the blossoming commerce of Uptown.
I spent four years living in this curious dwelling place, and I ended my relationship with this storied residence, living in the second floor apartment, with the same view as the attic, but without the elevation. I continued to write down what I was witnessing, expecting that one day it would make a great deal of sense to a larger work that was still undetermined; but highly anticipated. And truthfully, the binders and folders of rough notes detailing my four year living adventure, are still being referenced to this day, in the early autumn of 2021. As an artist would make copious numbers of sketches and studies before embarking on a larger work, I have relied on my own sketches and random observations to remind me of those important days as a Bracebridge voyeur; something I carried on for many years after this, when I’d spend hour upon hour sitting in locations around town that inspired me for any number of reasons, that I did take for granted as a youngster; such as swimming down at Bass Rock on the North Branch of the Muskoka, where I nearly drowned one day fulfilling a dare from my buddies….. to swim where I should have known there was a stronger current. I relieved many of those precious moments of childhood, but enhanced them with contemporary colors, when I would sit for awhile, merging the two realities together; the past and present, and the mosaic that would be the finished image to serve the future. I did all this out of a sense of respect for my hometown, and the fact that it had given my family and me a significantly enhanced way of life that we hadn’t known in the city. We were city refugees, you see, who arrived here full of city stresses in the mid 1960’s, and we all came to enjoy prosperous lives, and for my parents, right to the end of their days, fully enjoying the Muskoka ambience.
I have spent many of my “study” years, when not writing as much, looking at the work of so many talented Muskoka artists; from a contemporary point of view, and examining the many fine creators who lived, worked and exercised their craft here, because it was an environs that encouraged creativity. I didn’t always tell the subject artist, or craftsperson, that I was studying them for some future biographical profile. I was rather content, instead, to follow the progress of their work. just as I was a diehard voyeur of the unobstructed, no frills “to-get-in-the-way” town of Bracebridge; as I knew it way back when, and what it had become in the present tense. I looked at the art work and the crafting community, from the questioning point of view, as to why these environs were so fertile for creative enterprise. And I found early in my research, that Muskoka was thusly provocative and alluring to creative minds, as far back as the first settlers to take up farmstead acreages from the early 1860’s. The creative pull of this region is of course directly related to the lakeland, and its waterways, forests, hillsides, rock outcroppings, hollows, moors, bogs and lowlands thriving with wildlife of all varieties. It is an environment that is so amazingly full of curiosities and natural splendor, that it can’t help but draw out creative enterprise even from those who had never once, felt they had any interpretative potentials; they made their quilts for warmth and attractive log cabin comforts; they made their furniture because it was a necessity, but it was the first foray into folk art because their efforts were influenced by their surroundings. They constructed their shelters with the many influences provided by their new home circumstances, and utilized the resources that were made available by its abundant nature. The characteristics of the wild region, on the frontier of Ontario, opened up for settlement in the 1860’s and 70’s, was the landscape template for everything that happened in those opening decades, and it can be said, with integrity, that it was at the same time, one of the most hostile and difficult homesteading regions to welcome ill prepared emigrants, unfamiliar with thick forests, large rock obstructions, wetlands as far as the eye could see, and a thin soil that was much less arable than other settlement lands. Yet it is in this assumed and navigated hardship that gave Muskoka its rich character; that with the success of the experiment to occupy less fertile and accommodating areas of the province, there would be a responding culture that would be ingrained in its everlasting history. A heritage of inspiration. Of survival. Through the artist and crafters eyes, the district is most profoundly and aggressively portrayed and interpreted, and of this, the voyeur is most thoroughly satisfied no inspiration has been squandered or ignored. This fountain has been most sensibly used to nourish a constant stream of new and talented artist-creators to our district; and for that, we are being well served.
This is a latent thank you to artist Richard Karon, of Lake of Bays, who was the first painter to inspire the writer-me, and how well his influences have served me over my own lengthy writing career, benefitting so much from the same natural beauty, as he so craftfully benefited, over so many productive years in the field and studio.
Thank you Richard Karon Jr. for all the help you provided for the development of this biography.
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.
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.
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.
It is Thanksgiving Sunday 2021. What a time it has been during this pandemic period of our global lives. It has forced most of us to reckon with the fragility of life, and how small the old earth actually is when it comes to the spread of potentially fatal infection. For some this has been the motivation of change, and as we have experienced here in Muskoka, for the past year and a half, thousands of former urban dwellers have chosen to move to the rural clime of Ontario; and this has certainly impacted our region. We hope they have re-located here to celebrate and help conserve the precious Muskoka lakeland and all its amazing attributes. As the Lake of Bays artist, Richard Karon, heartily celebrated with his art panels that he shared with his admirers. We will not close the book on this talented Muskoka artist, and will publish new biographical information when it becomes available, which we understand may arrive soon after this series concludes. We welcome these contributions.
Thank you for joining this feature series courtesy The Birch Hollow Antique Press.
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