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Website is now in the process of being
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This
article appeared in Main Street, November, 2003.
Recently Florence McMaster called
to tell me that she is having an exhibition at La Galleria, in
Montreal. A call to
the gallery, informed me that Florence McMaster passed away. Years of
trouble with her eyes had masked warning signs of another serious
condition, which caught up with her a few weeks ago.
A few weeks ago she called a friend for a
ride to the hospital, but because of the big snowstorm the friend
suggested she call 911. Her last trip to the hospital in Ste-Agathe was
through the beautiful first snow of the season. From being away, her son
Philip sped to her side that evening, and her daughter Joanna arrived
Friday afternoon. Florence McMaster didn’t wake up Saturday
morning, the 25th of October, 2003.
Florence
McMaster began her love affair with the Laurentians as a young artist at
her parents’ country home in Val Morin. In the mid fifties, she moved
permanently to the Laurentians with her husband John and young family.
She was a wonderful woman, and an encouraging teacher, teaching
kindergarten in Ste-Marguerite, co-founding the Laurentian Women’s
Reading Club, and hosting many meetings and parties. She played the
piano at home and church organs at Ste-Adele and Ste-Agathe churches.
She gave art lessons to many Laurentian and Montreal artists, and was a
former vice-president and, life member of the Arts Club of Montreal.
Known for her portraits, she painted many other subjects, flowers, still
life, landscapes, and her favourite escape - abstract collages.
She
was a very courageous woman. As a pioneer English-speaking family in the
Laurentians, she had many adventures, including negotiating the unpaved
roads in a Willys Jeep, and since her husband John traveled a lot, she
had to clear snow, drive her children to school in Ste. Agathe, pursue
her art and keep the home fires burning.
Later in life, she traveled annually to
Charlevoix to paint.
Sometimes she lay down on
the ground to capture the reflection of light on the flower beds in her
garden.
Her house was her gallery
and she loved to share her joy of painting with others. Florence
McMaster will be missed by those who knew her, and those who wish they
had. We shall cherish her memory for many years as it lives in the gift
of her art.
Farewell Florence.
The gallery
La Galleria,
1618,
Sherbrooke St
West, in Montreal is planning to hold an exhibition of Florence McMaster
in the spring of 2004, as a tribute to her life’s artwork. Mr.
Joseph Mizzi, of La Galleria (514) 932-7585 told me
there is a brochure available about Florence McMaster. Her son,
Philip McMaster and Joseph are assembling a mailing list of all
those who wish to see her work.
If you wish to be included in the e-mail
list, you may contact me, or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
“FBM Exhibition”, 933 Station H,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 2M9 and the Invitation will be sent
directly to you.
