John Kolstein: Strathroy’s Artist by Aileen Cnockaert
I grew up in a home where pictures by John Kolstein hung on our walls. My parents taught me to appreciate these works of art, and I was fascinated by the intricate detail in John’s por - trayal of Strathroy’s important buildings. As someone who can barely draw a stick figure, I was in awe of his talent. John was born in 1918, grew up in Holland and, in 1957, came to Canada with his wife Froukje and their seven chil - dren. Sponsored by the Ferwerda family, they took up resi- dence in Strathroy. As they arrived in Canada; Froukje was pregnant with their eighth child; two more children were born later, making a family of 12. In the early years they took in foster children as well. After settling into their new home, John took a “Famous Artists Course” by correspondence to perfect his craft. He found employment with Herb Mann, doing home decorating. After a few years he started a custom sign-painting business which he operated until the mid-1970s. By then his wife had passed away and their ten children had grown up, so he devoted himself to his art full-time. Early in his career John was commissioned to draw a number of businesses and homes in the community. His first medium was water colour. Over the years he perfected his technique, learning different styles and experimenting with various medi- ums, often working in pen and watercolour. He believed that “every technique and individual approach has its own person - ality; consequently, you can learn a great deal from the work of other artists - in addition to what you learn from your own mistakes, of course.” Regularly travelling with his 110 cam- era and a sketch pad, when something of interest caught his eye he would photograph the subject and begin a preliminary sketch. An 8 x 10 inch sketch would take about two weeks to finish, and he completed about 25 to 30 paintings annually. John preferred creating his art in his living room with the tele- vision on for company. He used a board on his lap and always drew with a Bic pen. He enjoyed drives into the countryside to look for inspiration. Barns were his favourite subject, the more dilapidated the better. Part of John’s morning routine was going to Nywening’s Cof - fee Shop on Front Street, where he and Dick enjoyed coffee and a chat. Another source of pleasure was watching Saturday morning wrestling on TV. This passion, shared with his family, is amusing to me, as John was a pacifist. Although he had complied with conscription, as required of all men in Holland over the age of 18, he hated the army and the idea of war. His real joy was helping others, and he was willing to assist anyone who asked. Local artist Claude Peyaut is among those who apprenticed with him.
John is probably best known for a series of pen and ink draw- ings of Strathroy landmarks which he undertook as a Centen- nial project. The set includes sketches of the post office, the town hall, the train station and other iconic buildings in town. He was the first artist to showcase his work in the new art gallery at Strathroy Library and continued to display his work there each December, bringing along a box of chocolates for the library staff. He travelled to many art and craft shows in the area, including communities like Bayfield. As a supporter of the Strathroy Art Group, the library and museum John was actively involved in the community and left a significant legacy of paintings and drawings. Museum Strathroy-Caradoc has a number of these works in its collection. In 1990, Strathroy Li- brary presented a retrospective exhibit of John’s work in the Gallery, bringing together both public and commissioned work over the years - not a moment too soon, as he died September 22, 1991 at 73. In John’s words, “The technique I use appeals to people and brings me great pleasure. I just hope that when I’m gone peo - ple will remember me.” They will definitely remember him, as he recorded the changes in the town over time. Today his paintings must be sought out, as they are located in public buildings and private homes and their value is what they tell us about our community’s history. My thanks to John Kolstein’s son and daughter-in-law, Max and Karin, for sharing their memories.
To advertise here please contact Gloria@villagerpublications.com
Hometown Strathroy-Caradoc
Page 8
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs