Past KWSA Members
(with the Recollections of Walter Ozaruk)
Revised January 2018
The art world took on a new perspective in the 1960’s. Art was becoming more commercialized, photography was becoming an art form, and women artists were coming to the forefront. Acrylic paint was being explored, as was mixed media. Walter Ozaruk joined the Society in 1965 when members were meeting at the Breithaupt Centre. Doreen Schaub was president. Later Walter became Society president for a number of years, and was also a member of the K-W Art Gallery Board.
Doreen Schaub and Bert Williams were Life Members of KWSA (a member for 25 years of more).
Doreen Schaub (1928-2013) studied at the Doon School and the Dundas Valley School before earning an Honours Fine Arts degree from the University of Guelph as a mature student. She painted in watercolour and had extensive experience as a local art teacher.
Bert Williams (1928-2014) was also a beautiful watercolour artist and an active member. He was a Kitchener artist who was mainly self-taught and worked as a graphic designer. He painted many country scenes and local heritage homes and buildings; many of these were commissioned.
Walter knew many of the earliest KWSA members including Clarence Heller, Paul Winchester, Betty Krupp, Harold Morrow, John Schlacter, Cathy Milloy, Waldemar Neufeld, Ralph Hodgson and Elizabeth Eastman. Let me introduce you to them and some others.
Clarence Heller was the company layout and design artist at J.M. Schneider until he retired in 1969 and Walter took over. This meant that you painted signs on factory walls, on trucks, show card signs and the Schneider Dutch Girl on company vehicles, all freehand. Following retirement, Clarence would travel to the R.O.M. in Toronto where he enjoyed sketching the stuffed animals that were on exhibit.
Paul Winchester was a code breaker during WW2 against Germany. He liked to paint plein air landscapes of the local countryside in oil.
John Schlacter was a furniture finisher and a fine oil painter who was very active in the Society and often lectured. He would assess what size a painting should be, then make the frame to fit. In one local newspaper write-up, his compositions are described as “carefully thought out and show a wealth of experience accumulated through years of sketching direct from nature” .
Harold Morrow was a barber in Preston who had lost a leg in the war. His paintings were in watercolour and oil, but his oil paintings were never finished. Many of them were almost done but…….he was always thinking of the next painting! He always parked his car close to the entrance door because of his wooden leg. One day he was told by one of the senior ladies that he was obstructing the walkway. He took the abuse and didn’t reply.
Elizabeth Eastman’s oils of the local area have been noted for their “strong sense of design, modern in treatment with well-balanced composition”.
Betty Krupp and her husband owned a game farm in Doon, so many Saturdays a gang from the Society would be at the farm painting to their heart’s content. Walter says those days were good times. Later, Tom Cayley, an artist and at one time the owner of Homer Watson House, offered the House for get-togethers. At one of the meetings there, the program had just begun when a small mouse entered the room. It was racing across the floor upsetting the ladies in the room. They kept asking for someone to “do something”! Walter noticed a fireside tool set in the room. He grabbed the shovel and smacked the mouse over the head. Then with the shovel, he quickly carried the mouse outside. The meeting continued.
Walter was KWSA s Art Gallery Board representative at the time and recalls the move from the old church on Benton St. to the new location at the Centre in the Square as a welcome change.
Glen Urquhart was President for a time. Some of you may have taken lessons from his daughter, Laura, a fine watercolour artist and teacher. The whole family was artistic. Glen worked in advertising, then taught graphic art at Mohawk College for 13 years. While teaching, his spare time was spent painting in watercolour. He, too, would have Saturday sketch trips for plein air painting experience; the same with Phil McLorn and Devona Paquette. KWSA members would gather at their homes and enjoyed many good times.
Devona painted constantly and was always ready for an art show. She was an outstanding local teacher, and was even invited to teach at her alma mater, The Ontario College of Art. She employed a loose flamboyant watercolour style which was very popular.
Doug Ratchford was a Society member. He was an OCA graduate who worked in advertising, then design, and formed his own company in 1971. In the 70’s his outstanding sketches, drawings and paintings of the Mennonites and Waterloo County made quite an impact.
Cathy Milloy was a public and highschool art teacher who also taught for Parks and Recreation in Kitchener and for Conestoga College and the K-W Art Gallery. She served as President of KWSA at one time and made many contributions to the local art scene including producing and hosting a local Rogers TV series, Art on View and much more.
Many painters have come and gone during the years that Walter has been a member. He says it was a great pleasure to get to know them. As you can see, we have inherited a great legacy.
Two books have been published about local artists. One is Waterloo County Landscapes 1930-1960, A Sense of Place which was published on the 75th anniversary of Wilfred Laurier University in 1986 with research assistance from KWSA member, Cathy Milloy. This book contains colour plates of the artists work. The other is a book entitled, Waterloo County Artists 1960-1990 with black and white photographs and an introduction by Cathy Milloy. Walter’s bio and one of his still-life watercolours is featured in this edition, as are some other current and past members’ work. Many of our members have seen these books and some have copies. They were on display at our 80th anniversary celebration and will be again for special events.
Written by KWSA Historian, Robin Hamel.
The art world took on a new perspective in the 1960’s. Art was becoming more commercialized, photography was becoming an art form, and women artists were coming to the forefront. Acrylic paint was being explored, as was mixed media. Walter Ozaruk joined the Society in 1965 when members were meeting at the Breithaupt Centre. Doreen Schaub was president. Later Walter became Society president for a number of years, and was also a member of the K-W Art Gallery Board.
Doreen Schaub and Bert Williams were Life Members of KWSA (a member for 25 years of more).
Doreen Schaub (1928-2013) studied at the Doon School and the Dundas Valley School before earning an Honours Fine Arts degree from the University of Guelph as a mature student. She painted in watercolour and had extensive experience as a local art teacher.
Bert Williams (1928-2014) was also a beautiful watercolour artist and an active member. He was a Kitchener artist who was mainly self-taught and worked as a graphic designer. He painted many country scenes and local heritage homes and buildings; many of these were commissioned.
Walter knew many of the earliest KWSA members including Clarence Heller, Paul Winchester, Betty Krupp, Harold Morrow, John Schlacter, Cathy Milloy, Waldemar Neufeld, Ralph Hodgson and Elizabeth Eastman. Let me introduce you to them and some others.
Clarence Heller was the company layout and design artist at J.M. Schneider until he retired in 1969 and Walter took over. This meant that you painted signs on factory walls, on trucks, show card signs and the Schneider Dutch Girl on company vehicles, all freehand. Following retirement, Clarence would travel to the R.O.M. in Toronto where he enjoyed sketching the stuffed animals that were on exhibit.
Paul Winchester was a code breaker during WW2 against Germany. He liked to paint plein air landscapes of the local countryside in oil.
John Schlacter was a furniture finisher and a fine oil painter who was very active in the Society and often lectured. He would assess what size a painting should be, then make the frame to fit. In one local newspaper write-up, his compositions are described as “carefully thought out and show a wealth of experience accumulated through years of sketching direct from nature” .
Harold Morrow was a barber in Preston who had lost a leg in the war. His paintings were in watercolour and oil, but his oil paintings were never finished. Many of them were almost done but…….he was always thinking of the next painting! He always parked his car close to the entrance door because of his wooden leg. One day he was told by one of the senior ladies that he was obstructing the walkway. He took the abuse and didn’t reply.
Elizabeth Eastman’s oils of the local area have been noted for their “strong sense of design, modern in treatment with well-balanced composition”.
Betty Krupp and her husband owned a game farm in Doon, so many Saturdays a gang from the Society would be at the farm painting to their heart’s content. Walter says those days were good times. Later, Tom Cayley, an artist and at one time the owner of Homer Watson House, offered the House for get-togethers. At one of the meetings there, the program had just begun when a small mouse entered the room. It was racing across the floor upsetting the ladies in the room. They kept asking for someone to “do something”! Walter noticed a fireside tool set in the room. He grabbed the shovel and smacked the mouse over the head. Then with the shovel, he quickly carried the mouse outside. The meeting continued.
Walter was KWSA s Art Gallery Board representative at the time and recalls the move from the old church on Benton St. to the new location at the Centre in the Square as a welcome change.
Glen Urquhart was President for a time. Some of you may have taken lessons from his daughter, Laura, a fine watercolour artist and teacher. The whole family was artistic. Glen worked in advertising, then taught graphic art at Mohawk College for 13 years. While teaching, his spare time was spent painting in watercolour. He, too, would have Saturday sketch trips for plein air painting experience; the same with Phil McLorn and Devona Paquette. KWSA members would gather at their homes and enjoyed many good times.
Devona painted constantly and was always ready for an art show. She was an outstanding local teacher, and was even invited to teach at her alma mater, The Ontario College of Art. She employed a loose flamboyant watercolour style which was very popular.
Doug Ratchford was a Society member. He was an OCA graduate who worked in advertising, then design, and formed his own company in 1971. In the 70’s his outstanding sketches, drawings and paintings of the Mennonites and Waterloo County made quite an impact.
Cathy Milloy was a public and highschool art teacher who also taught for Parks and Recreation in Kitchener and for Conestoga College and the K-W Art Gallery. She served as President of KWSA at one time and made many contributions to the local art scene including producing and hosting a local Rogers TV series, Art on View and much more.
Many painters have come and gone during the years that Walter has been a member. He says it was a great pleasure to get to know them. As you can see, we have inherited a great legacy.
Two books have been published about local artists. One is Waterloo County Landscapes 1930-1960, A Sense of Place which was published on the 75th anniversary of Wilfred Laurier University in 1986 with research assistance from KWSA member, Cathy Milloy. This book contains colour plates of the artists work. The other is a book entitled, Waterloo County Artists 1960-1990 with black and white photographs and an introduction by Cathy Milloy. Walter’s bio and one of his still-life watercolours is featured in this edition, as are some other current and past members’ work. Many of our members have seen these books and some have copies. They were on display at our 80th anniversary celebration and will be again for special events.
Written by KWSA Historian, Robin Hamel.
