Photo supplied.
One of the original works of art donated by the artist to be sold through an on-line auction for the benefit of the lunch program for a primary school in Belize.
St. John’s Church, Ida is sponsoring an on-line art auction of paintings from the collection of local artist, Murray Hofstetter and his wife, Bronwen. Bidding begins April 1st and closes Friday, April 14th at 8:00 pm.
(Auction website: jasonmcintoshauctions.hibid.com)
The proceeds will be used to help fund a lunch program at a primary school in Belize.
Photo supplied.
Local artist, Murray Hofstetter.
Murray Hofstetter was head of the art department at R.S. McLaughlin Collegiate in Oshawa. In 1965, Murray and his wife Bronwen purchased Beechwood, the old one room school on the Sharpe Line near the Winslow Quarter Line. They used it as a summer home. When they built their permanent home on the property, the school continued to be used as Murray’s studio. (Beechwood is now part of our municipal Barn Quilt Trail.) The couple became part of the vibrant Millbrook art community in the 1980’s and 90’s. Bronwen has since passed away, and Murray now resides in a retirement residence in Peterborough. He gave part of their art collection to their friend June Moncrief. After enjoying the paintings for several years, June has chosen to donate them to the church where Murray and Bronwen were part of the worshipping community. The congregation decided to sell the paintings to raise money for a good cause.
Andy and Maureen Harjula, members of St. John’s, have done work in Belize to assist families with local food production and education. Consequently, when June donated the Hofstetter’s art collection, there was a natural fit; the money raised from the sale of the paintings by Murray, a former teacher, should be used to further the work of an education program in Belize.
The Harjula’s suggested the money be directed to the lunch program at St. Matthew’s Anglican Primary School. This is a rural school in a region with limited employment opportunity. When the Covid pandemic hit, restrictions forced the closure of the local fruit juice plant, orchard work stopped and unemployment climbed to 70%. For many of the children who attend St Matthew’s, the lunch program provides them with their best meal of the day. For some it is their only meal of the day. Proceeds from the auction will be used to purchase chicken, rice, peas and beans for the school-run program. Hopefully, this sale will generate many meals for these children.
The auction includes works by Murray as well as paintings by a few other artists including Lucy Manly, Alice Duncan, Clive Powsey and Anna Syperek. Murray’s works are of the Cavan-Manvers area with a few others of the Madawaska region. Also worthy of mention are four small paintings of Port Harrison on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay. It is now called Inukjuak. Murray and Bronwen lived there in the 1950’s just as it was becoming a centre for Inuit art.
Paintings can be viewed on the auction website (above) or at www.stjohnsida.com on the “News and Events” tab on the main toolbar. They can also be seen in person on Friday, April 14th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm (auction closing) in the church hall, 1758 County Road 10, just north of Cavan village. Details for bidding, payment, pick-up or shipping can be found on the auction website.
By Ted Hodgkinson
