REMEMBER THIS? The eighth member of the Group of Seven

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

With a name like Mentauts Dennis Purvitis, a person would surely be destined for something great if not unique! Most people knew him as Minto, the name he chose for himself because this was how his first name was pronounced.

Minto was born in Latvia in 1943 and after the 2nd World War, immigrated to British Columbia with his family in 1950. Dennis’ strongest memory of his birthland was when he was just a boy, a grenade was hurled into his bedroom window! His parents’ reaction of frantic terror was enough of a catalyst to move their family to Canada!

After some years in B.C. and struggling with rheumatism, Minto’s father, Ernest Purvitis, moved his family to Sault Ste. Marie where he found work as a gardener.

Ernest and Alma Purvitis, along with their sons Mentauts and Damants, lived between the old chrome plant, Algoma Steel and Abitibi. Minto recalled that the soot from the plants often filled their neighbourhood streets.

As an adolescent, Minto attended and graduated from Sault Technical School (Lakeway). He then was hired by the Algoma Central Railway as a map maker. His employment with the ACR gave him the opportunity to use his drafting pen and sketchbook to practice his artwork, usually in the evenings at day's end. However, in time, he ended up leaving his job with the ACR when logging operations were shut down.

Given the alternative of office work, Minto knew this was not for him, and so he began travelling around the country working as a guide for fishing and hunting. Being outdoors was where he felt most comfortable. Working trap lines and fighting fires also kept him among nature, allowing him to live among the wildlife and rugged surroundings that he loved. Practicing his art was usually done in the evening while his memory was still fresh and the images that he had viewed from the day could be transferred from pen to paper.

His love and intimate knowledge of the wilderness were well represented in his works, most often depicting wildlife and movement. The bush was where he felt at home. He was an authentic, literally, down-to-earth artist, who spent much time in the Northern Wilderness, recreating what he knew best. When the weather was good, the outdoors was his studio, preferring to sketch wildlife and the human figure, expressing that landscapes were not his interest. He explained that he preferred sketching in ink and on occasion worked with pastels. The weather could be damp and wet which never mixed well with oil pastels.

He was greatly inspired by nature. He lived in nature, breathed it, and recreated it with all its charms that he could take in.

At times when not particularly inspired by anything, he was known to enjoy a good shot of vodka to help inspire his artistic talents! Whatever art form Minto put his hand to was met with success, including stone sculpturing and wood carving, all of which he enjoyed!

At one point in his life, Minto took a course at an art school in Brantford but after five months, he ended up leaving the program. His artwork was described as rugged and warm, and he simply continued to sketch and paint what he wanted, in his own unique style.

His technique was first, a rough pencil sketch and he then worked using a fine-tip pen. His technique involved placing thousands of intricate dots on the canvas.

Minto was described as a self-taught artist. He expressed in an interview with the Sault Star that he had been drawing all his life. Although never motivated by the money that his artwork could generate, Minto became noticed by John A. Carson, a former advertising salesman who saw the value in Minto’s works and in 1969 brought and displayed Minto’s works to the Canadian National Exhibition.

His prints gained much recognition and he was dubbed a genius by many art experts. In response to this, Minto shrugged his shoulders with modesty. Spell, “genius” for me, he responded with a grin.

Mr. Carson and Minto formed a company called DD and W Distributors through which his drawings were marketed. The prints were being sold in seven major Canadian cities by a nationwide department store. While Carson managed the city dealings, Minto was back in Wawa where he would retreat from civilization to concentrate on his art.

Described as clean-shaven, well-tanned and robust, Mentauts Dennis Purvitis was making the Canadian scene come to life with his artwork! Nearly 30 years old, he ended up cutting ties with his company in Hamilton, became a free agent and began doing his own self-promotion, selling his creations.

He was a true Canadian artist who saw the value of the North and began promoting that which he thought should be celebrated by creating life sized murals for local businesses. One mural was a larger-than-life painting of the famous Esposito brothers that he was to complete in a local hotel and another mural he planned to complete was of Chico Maki, another hockey great.

Selling his work was a necessity to support himself but to him it was not the most important priority. As a result, he was known to give away much of what he created and many sets of his wildlife prints. He received recognition as an artist and was featured in a book on the Rocky Mountains by the National Geographic Society, Vincent Price owned one of his drawings and Eaton’s sold thousands of his prints throughout Canada. Art shows in the Algoma area had him attending with other area greats like Ken Bradford, Ken MacDougall. Ken Danby, Doug Hook, and Zolton Szabo to name but a few.

During an interview, Minto expressed that being an artist was not an easy life. He was described as having a pioneering spirit and at that time it was said that Mentauts Purvitis may not quite be appreciated the way he should, that he might not be acknowledged until he has long faded from the art scene.

During the '70s, Minto was acknowledged as a well-known artist, known for his "Minto" wildlife prints, done in ink points and meticulous portraits done in coloured pencils. The natural beauty that surrounds the Algoma area is notorious for inspiring many talented artists.

Minto died at the General Hospital on Friday, June 27, 2008, after suffering a stroke. He was survived by his older brother, "Duke"  Purvitis.

His beliefs about the beauty of the North to this day stand true, however, whether it is truly valued and appreciated will be known only with the passing of time.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.