The family of the late Gordon MacKenzie presents A Memorial Art Show, featuring Gordon MacKenzie watercolours, March 29 and 30 at The Machine Shop, Sault Ste. Marie.
Gordon MacKenzie was a prolific artist, educator, and author. He was also a true northern boy, having been born in New Liskeard and settled in Sault Ste. Marie in the early 1960’s.
“Dad started his career as Art Consultant for the Sault Ste. Marie Board of Education's Visual Arts Department in the 60’s. A career that lasted over 30 years!” reminisced his daughter, Sandra.
She continued, “In this position he created art programs for all of the grade schools in the Sault and Algoma District. He was also an Art Educator for many Art teachers in the public school system. He was a great proponent of the importance of creative expression and therefore creative problem solving and critical thinking that the Visual Arts taught. He truly understood that many children and adults are visual learners.”
Simultaneously, Gordon pursued his own artistic expression as a painter, first in oils, and then in watercolours, which “was a medium that could better communicate the images and feelings he wished to emote,” said Sandra.
The MacKenzie family loved the outdoors and spent years exploring the beauty of northern Ontario. Sandra explained, “Dad loved nature, and this was his primary subject that inspired so many beautiful works of art. Camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, exploring was our family language of love and togetherness.”
She added, “He also spent summer vacations travelling and teaching watercolour painting workshops. He once said he'd lapped Lake Superior 22 times!”
After retiring in 1994 Gordon was able to throw himself into his second career, as a watercolour painting instructor for adult students in Canada, the United States, Italy, and France.
“Dad’s crowning achievement came when he published his first best selling watercolour Instruction book, "The Watercolourist's Essential Notebook". This was soon followed by two other instructional books in the series,” said Sandra. “All of his knowledge gained from a lifetime's pursuit of artistic expression and knowledge within the medium of watercolour paint was contained in these books.”
Of course, Gordon continued to paint in watercolours, ending up with a prolific number of beautiful paintings of northern Ontario and other places that took his fancy.
“We decided, as a family, that we wanted to celebrate Dad’s legacy with a memorial show of his paintings right here in Sault Ste. Marie,” said Sandra. “It is a way to honour him and also to introduce him and his work to Sault St. Marie residents who don’t know him and what he has done for art in this area.”
The Gordon MacKenzie Memorial Art Show featuring Gordon MacKenzie watercolours will be on display and open to the public at The Machine Shop on March 29 from 12 noon to 8 p.m. and on March 30 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Copies of Gordon’s books will also be available.