Mary Firth’s childhood home on Lorne Pk. Rd.
When I was a kid in the 1940s, Christmas cards were folded in quarters; so my mum saved those that had no writing on the blank inside for us three kids to draw on. No pads of paper for us as, like so many others, our family was struggling after the war. But each of us had our very own box of 8 Crayola crayons – basic colours only! So we spent hours drawing and colouring and reading and playing outside with all the kids along Lorne Park Road. There was no TV, no devices back then.
I loved Friday afternoons in public school- art until recess. Bliss! I took Art all though high school and university, and summer courses at OCA in copper enamelling and paper sculpture, travelling with my former Grade 2 teacher to Toronto. I was fourteen. After completing two summers at OCE I returned the following summer to OCA to start work on my art specialist which I never completed. (I got married – as my principal said, I was taking another course!) But that summer course was lots o fun sketching in Kensington Market, on the ferry to the Toronto islands and there as well.
I sold my first oil painting that summer to one of my roommates for the princely sum of $5! Marriage brought all that fun stuff to halt – teaching, weekends devoted to laundry (wringer washer, clothesline), house work (which I loathe!) and the one bright spot, entertaining our teacher friends. Still have them, by the way!
In 1970 we tore down the old log house, and built new and larger one which was rather unfinished for quite some time. At that point we had two boys, so needless to say I was kept busy with the kids and painting trim, laying and grouting tile etc. Lots of good stuff to keep me out of trouble! So, here we get around to stained glass. When the boys were old enough to understand ‘Don’t touch!’ in 1982, I drove from the farm to Port Perry for a night school course. And here I will break off, but will continue this journey at another time. Stay tuned.
