POTPOURRI

Away from the anger, frustration and relentless turbulence of (anti) social media, speed, intergalactic travel and conflict, Kathleen steers us to cultivate and nurture more pastoral gardens and embrace calmer emotions. Each authentic drawing tells a unique story and confers a poignant sense of history – a fleeting moment in time.

With her love of animals, Kathleen may not have been over-impressed with circus animals or any animals in captivity. She would, however, have adored the regal elephants.

The elephant’s blanket shows Sparks Circus. The troupe came to Montréal in June 1929 and clearly the spectacle motivated Kathleen, although no finished oil painting seems to have resulted. Between 1894 and 1931 Sparks Circus was the largest most magnificent travelling show of its time touring extensively in the United States and Canada.

This is an unusual Kathleen Morris theme but this little wheeled vehicle and its youthful driver caught her fancy and shows how important historical events mattered to her. In September 1941, crowds gathered on Van Horne Avenue to cheer on the contestants of a soap box derby sponsored by the Kinsmen’s Club of Montréal. The event was to draw attention to and promote craftsmanship in boys from 9 to 15 years old. World War II was in full swing and some of the entries soapboxed anti-Hitler posters on the chassis!

The Balloon Seller is another familiar theme from the circus. Notice how the most simplistic of pencil strokes and squiggles convey the children eagerly crowding around.

These delightful pencil sketches on scraps of paper don’t disappoint in terms of perspective. And they add rabbits to Kathleen’s roster of animal friends.

Wouldn’t this have been absolutely beautiful as a finished oil?