Marjorie Memorabilia, photo and The Woman in White,
painting - Karen Bailey

The "Marjorie" Paintings
by Karen Bailey

Miss Gray's spacious centretown apartment was a duplicate of the one I lived in with my husband two floors above in The Shefford on Cooper Street in Ottawa. Isolated by choice, independent and genteel, Marjorie Gray (1911-2005) left behind many unanswered questions along with a small box of family photographs.

I paint people. In an attempt to remember a woman who might otherwise be forgotten and using her photographs as reference, I began the "Marjorie" series in late 2005. Eight of these acrylic paintings were selected to be part of a group exhibition at the Ottawa School of Art from September 15 to October 15. A solo exhibition of "Marjorie" appears at the IPO Gallery, 110 O'Connor Street (in Berkshire Securities) from October 26 to November 17.

Marjorie cared for both of her parents until their deaths in the early 1960s and remained unmarried, living in The Shefford, for nearly sixty years. After Marjorie's death in 2005, I witnessed the clearing of her room at the seniors' home by the trust company who acted as her financial executors. I requested one photograph (by Karsh) of my friend and former neighbour and they suggested that I "take the lot". With no known relatives, everything but valuable jewelry would be tossed out.

My paintings portray the life and times of Miss Marjorie Gray - Marjorie as a child with her Scottish Terrier Mac, her parents, brother Gordon, Branksome Hall school chums, Queen's University friends and extended family. Ultimately, the looking glass is reversed, revealing my own feelings about this woman who divulged so little of herself.

I first met "Miss Gray" in 1988. At that time, I Illustrated books for a British publisher and painted still life, working from our new apartment in the Shefford. Marjorie kept herself to herself. I rather thrust myself upon her (she was the first neighbour I met) and my husband and I made it our business to look out for her.

Maintaining a keen interest in politics and literature, Marjorie preferred to look forward rather than dwelling on the past. Being persistent, I was, over time, able to glean bits of her family history. Marjorie was born in Red Deer, Alberta. Her father, a physician, took the family to England in 1916 to serve as a medical officer in the first World War. Her mother, the daughter of a mining tycoon, was flamboyant, fashionable and had an eye for fine antiques. Mrs. Gray commissioned Karsh, working from his Sparks Street studio, to photograph Marjorie's official portrait before she was presented to the Governor General. The family had moved to Ottawa where they rented an apartment in the then desirable Windsor Arms on Argyle Street before moving to The Shefford in 1939.

Marjorie worked for Veterans Affairs in the former Daly Building on Rideau Street. With disgust, she recounted the number of rats living there and welcomed the building's demolition in 1991.

Time stood still in apartment 21. Marjorie avoided renovations over the years and so the kitchen tiles were original (1912), as were the glass-fronted cupboards. Though acting as custodian for her mother's antique furniture, she never added to the collection. Marjorie was a private, practical, philanthropic woman who had a sense of humour but little interest in decorating or fine art.

As is true of biography or translations, these paintings say less about the subject than the artist. Would Marjorie Gray have welcomed the attention? Perhaps not, but I like to think her mother would have loved it.

Some of the Marjorie paintings can be seen on my website
www.karenbailey.ca

"Marjorie" paintings on exhibit at:
The Ottawa School of Art Gallery
35 George Street
September 15 - October 15

IPO Gallery, 110 O'Connor Street, Ground floor,
(inside Berkshire Securities)
October 26 - November 17
Open Monday - Friday 9am -5pm