Linda Arthurs
Toronto, ON - Canada
Linda Arthurs - Fine Artist
Member Since: 12/15/2009
I used to deny that I was a virgo but have noticed lately that I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get organized and never quite get there. I always thought that Virgos were cold, organized, mathematical, and that is not me...however, I certainly can relate..
I was always drawing on something. My custom was to paint on it as long as it stayed still so even as a pup, the urge was there. Mother gave up trying to break me of painting on the walls of my room and elsewhere and gave me a wall to go at it.
I have no idea of my age but there you go. Right from birth I was destined to do what I do.
It most certainly did mark me apart from the clichés but that was fine with me.
Started to win contests in grade school. Somewhere there is a photograph of me laying underneath a picture dedicated to the Fugs, a new York Village band. This was in the time of Ferlingetti, Sartre, and I was in there like a dirty shirt. I used to write philosphical questions to my brilliant father and push them under his door and he would answer me in kind.
I remember my oldest brother Michael painted this hideous painting called the death of the worms. It was paint pushed out of the tube left to dry on the board. A bit of rivalry there.
I can always remember drawing and painting and being fascinated with Picasso, Matisse. For me it was the colours the emotions say, of Degas WOW
I stunk at school. I just was not that interested except in geography and history and of course literature.
I took the OCAD test. Sent away for it at 16 and passed. The problem was I was still in high school, Victoria park secondary, called the factory. My dad went to the principle and asked to have me put through so that I could go to the art school. I was such a pest that they agreed.
So off to OCA I went and lasted almost 2 and one half years. The first year I loved, lots of discipline the second year, eh. Left to go to Mexico and took my watercolours with me. Came back and ran into one of my favourite teachers, Abba Bayefsky and he looked at my work. Said, ‘some people have it, some people learn it. And you have it so what are you doing here. I so admired him that that was all that I needed to hear so packed my bags and headed out. In those days, Trudeau was supreme and all of my generation followed him. He broke us out into the world without fear and so many of us learned so much and our minds were opened to cultures only imagined. China for me was the strangest and the best. The foundation of traveling and staying in one place for long enough to appreciate ‘was is’ the photography and painting became my diaries.
Was pretty successful in London. Was popular with the politicians and had a few shows there. Unfortunately so did John Barley Corn so my memory is greatly shaded.
Eventually I sort of settled down, to a fellow vagabond and when I had children the life was no longer do able for me so came back to Toronto. Both of my sons are incredibly talented and one is so conservative, well, I imagined that I would be coming from such a fruity childhood. The other, the oldest, Dennis was killed in a car crash.
Our very existence came into question, why, how, why bother, what is the purpose. I used to be radically political but now I made the decision to only paint beautiful paintings etc. I feel that for me that is what needs to be done.
So today, I work with people who have developmental disabilities using art as a tool for communication and lifting spirits. It is truly a job I love and I feel that I am giving something back. My journey has given me many cool and diverse friends, of what love really is, of the magic of colour. Today I was say that I am a happy grandmother, doing what I like to do best with the best of the best of friends. I truly hope that you enjoy looking and purchasing my art. I would like to hear from you as well and if there is a technique I can show you ....great...
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