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“Hidden Gems” is our third exhibition as part of our Rarely Seen series, “Hidden Gems” is a captivating exhibition showcasing a curated selection of artworks that have been tucked away from public view in our collection or have yet to be exhibited publicly.
Delve into the world of rare and unseen treasures, as we unveil a variety of pieces that have been waiting to be discovered. From forgotten works to hidden gems, this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the unseen artistic diversity within our collection and community with the inclusion along with contemporary works by members of the Artists of Colour.
Immerse yourself in the beauty and intrigue of these rarely seen artworks and uncover the hidden stories and craftsmanship behind each piece. Join us on Saturday July 22nd and July 21st for a curated journey of discovery as we bring these hidden gems into the spotlight for all to admire and appreciate.
Virgil Broodhagen
Melvin ‘Mac’ Simpson, 1993
Oil on Canvas
Virgil Broodhagen is a Barbadian painter, his paintings have been featured on stamps in Barbados and have been exhibited in various places in the Americas and Europe. Born in Barbados in 1943 and emigrated to Canada in 1966. He worked for the Canadian Government recording and designing for the restoration of historic buildings, archaeological sites and vessels. Broodhagen designed the Cubana Airline Monument in Barbados and continues his work.
Broodhagen painted a portrait of Amherstburg Freedom Museum founder, Melvin ‘Mac’ Simpson and it was presented as a gift to Mac’s wife and museum co-founder Betty Simpson. It was the dream of museum founder Melvin ‘Mac’ Simpson to create a space for the education and preservation of Canada’s rich Black history, “… he wanted to do something tangible to increase Black awareness, to help future generations claim and develop enhanced dignity, strength, and purpose of being. He envisioned a means to educate the entire community.”
Philip Crosby
Fugitive Salves Fleeing to Canada, 1986
Pastel on Paper
Commissioned by the Amherstburg Freedom Museum (then known as the North American Black Historical Museum Inc.), artist Philip Crosby creating a series of 10 drawings that chronicle the many different journeys’ escaping Freedom Seekers made to reach Canada. In this depiction of one such journey, Freedom Seekers are escaping by boat across a body of water. A man in the boat has his arms raised upward in praise and happiness as they journey toward freedom.
Windsor artist Philip Crosby began drawing at an early age copying cartoons and inspired by the funny pages and comic books. He later studied Art and Art History at the University of Windsor and developed his skills with graphite pencil and explored his style with pastels, crayons, and water colour. For Philip art, whether actual or imagined, can go as far or in depth as the eye can see since it is a reflection of nature.
W.J Stapleton
“Bill White”, c. 1960
Oil on Canvas
This painting is signed ‘W.J. Stapleton” and may be attributed to Canadian artist, William Johnson Stapleton who was born in 1916, in Stratford Ontario. Stapleton was an artist, social activist, humanist, free thinker, teacher, decorated citizen, and for many years resided in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto, where he died in 2008.
His work has been compared to works by Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, and Carol Moore-Ede, Stapleton’s friend and curator said of his technique, “[his style] had a relaxed structure but his lines were direct and bold, drawn with rock steady hand and a sharp eye. He painted in startlingly vibrant colours and bold strokes, as forthright in his technique as he was in his social convictions.”
Harry M. Zeilig
Dr. Mary Macleod Bethune, c. 1960
Oil on Canvas
A portrait of Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune who an American educator, founder of the National Council of Negro Women, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, and civil rights activist. Dr. McLeod Bethune visited Windsor and Amherstburg during the 1954 Emancipation Celebrations and spoke alongside Eleanor Roosevelt as part of the Emancipation programming. Despite her renown, and as a guest of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, McLeod Bethune was denied a room at Windsor’s Prince Edward Hotel.
F.B. Wride
“Old Wash”, c. 1974
Oil on Canvas
Painted by hobbyist F.B. Wride, this portrait of “Old Washington”, “Old Wash” or “Uncle Wash” as he was called, was a formerly enslaved man and owned property on the corner of Beech and Division in Kingsville where he had a house built and lived in it until he passed away.
Old Wash bought and sold several properties and was known to have worn a long tattered brown coat with a piece of rope for a sash. He travelled around the town and was often invited in for a meal if he promised to tell fortunes. He carried a tall stick as a staff when he wandered the town and loved children and to tell their fortunes. It was recalled that he would sit under a tree in the summer with a group of youngsters listening wide-eyed as he traced his finger over their hands.
Trudy Dempsey
Fighting For Freedom, 2012
Oil on Canvas
Trudy Dempsey, a self-taught artist, painted Fighting For Freedom as part of the exhibit 1812 Bicentennial: Association of Representational Artists which was displayed in the Gibson Gallery in 2012. This painting features three Black men (unnamed) who served in the War of 1812. There is a long tradition of military service among African Canadians, dating back to early campaigns such as the War of 1812 with African Canadians such as John Stokes and Richard Pierpoint bravely serving.
Charlotte Bronte Perry
Untitled, 1979-80
Oil on Canvas
Roy Perry Collection
Charlotte Bronte Perry was born in Virginia and worked in the field of journalism in Los Angeles, Detroit and Windsor. Charlotte married Dr. Roy Perry a Windsor dentist and together the Perry’s were prominent socialites. They hosted many events and entertained such illustrious guests as Dorothy Dandridge, and were invited to the reception for Queen Elizabeth II when the royal couple visited Windsor in 1959. In 1967 Charlotte Bronte Perry wrote The Long Road – The History of the Coloured Canadian in Windsor, Ontario 1867-1967.
This text is a rich resource, which preserves early recollections of the African Canadian community in Windsor. Perry later wrote a biography of her husband titled One Man’s Journey: The Biography of Alderman Dr. Roy Prince Edward Perry in 1982. Charlotte gifted her painting to the museum on December 26, 1988.
