Jack Lockhart Painting History

Fans of internationally known artist Jack Lockhart always appreciate having the opportunity to attend an art exhibit of his work.

On Sunday, people were steadily making their way through the 116 paintings of various sizes he had on display at the Davedi Club.

Many were purchasing pieces to adorn their own walls from Lockhart’s selection of oils, acrylics and watercolours.

For some, it was a matter of ticking one more thing off of their bucket list.

“I have long admired the work of Jack Lockhart and I have always wanted to purchase, and have something of his collection, and finally, I was able to come today. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted it, it was the one I wanted” grinned Linda Hegyi about her fall painting that Lockhart painted somewhere on Trout Lake.

“It is the beautiful colours, and it just looks like northern Ontario.”

The exhibit was a retrospective of many different paintings, including new ones.

“It is always interesting to see people come into the exhibit because there is something for everybody. We don’t do this very often, but it is nice to have an event like this and see the response to it.”

For the first time, Lockhart had an Aha moment as he considered what he would take from his collection to put on display.

“I had just been in Ottawa presenting the 150^th anniversary painting of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite. When I came home, I thought, I spent a year on that painting, I did an awful lot of research and worked with the committee from coast to coast. It is very seldom that ever happens and just to record this by painting it, not writing it.”

That got Lockhart thinking about the other paintings reflecting local history he has completed over the years.

“I have done paintings commemorating many anniversaries for example- the 100th anniversary of the North East Region of the Ontario Provincial Police, Celebrating 100 years of Teacher Education, the 100th anniversary of the North Bay Golf and Country Club, the 75th anniversary of the City of North Bay, the 50th anniversary of NORAD, the 100th anniversary of the Trojan Reunion, and many special anniversaries for example- Redpath Mining, CTS-Canadian Career College and numerous special histories of many churches, businesses, and corporations.”

Sports has also factored into his “painting history” having completed 24 action paintings of North Bay Battalion players.

“These fine young athletes receiving these paintings have always said their paintings will remind them not only of the great times playing hockey but memories of North Bay and families like their billets,” said Lockhart.

“I didn’t realize how much history I have been painting, instead of writing about it. You do so many of them after a while you take it for granted, ‘Oh that’s another 100^th anniversary’ but they all mean so much, to so many people. And that is where you think this is kind of interesting. You’re doing this history, but you’re doing it by paint, you’re not doing it by writing volumes of books.”

As the expression goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.