COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
Homer Watson’s Black Thursday
This Black Friday, as shoppers scramble to the shopping centres, hoping to score some great deals, we’d like to explore the origins of the term “Black Friday” and how its
On the Air with Monica Mugan
Before the television made its way into North American homes, radio changed the ways that Canadians consumed news and entertainment. Radio was a widespread “craze”, and consequently, the Watson family
Sourcing Slang in Historical Transcriptions
One of the tasks undertaken by researchers in a museum collection is the transcription of historic documents. Typing out old letters, diaries, and notes helps preserve their contents when paper
Homer’s Spiritualist Contemporaries
Homer Watson became involved in the Spiritualist movement at a point when it was gaining interest in Canada after the First World War. He had many friends involved in the
Lily Dale
Each year, thousands of tourists flock to a small hamlet in New York with the hopes of witnessing something supernatural. Since its founding in 1879, the spiritualist settlement of Lily
The Cabin in the Lane
Historic paintings often provide a unique perspective of the past. Unlike photographs, they are not perfect reproductions of a given vantage, but this imperfection doesn’t mean that such paintings cannot
Lightning Rods
In rural areas like Doon, lightning rods were commonly installed on houses, barns, and other structures to mitigate the danger of lightning – the enemy of flammable structures everywhere. The
The Williams Frames
When observing piece of art, a feature that is often underappreciated is the frame it is displayed in. A frame can hold a tremendous amount of information and can even
The Hair Receiver
As trends and technology change, many once common household objects have fallen into obscurity. As a result, museums sometimes have difficulty identifying artifacts or their original use. This item is
The Sandhill
A painting of a sandhill, with cows grazing near a small pond in the foreground under a pink sky. A figure sits under the trees on the right in the
Phoebe’s Cottage at Lake Oliphant
One of Phoebe Watson’s great loves was her little cottage at Lake Oliphant. Sitting along the shore of Lake Huron on Preacher’s Point, Oliphant and its surrounding islands were settled
Sheaves Tower: A Favourite Painting Place
Mills and milling have played an important part in the history of Doon. The industry manufactured a variety of products such as twine, wool and lumber. Homer Watson’s family worked
World War 1
In August of 1914, Great Britain declared war on Germany, ushering Canada, a member of the British Empire into the First World War. London requested 25,000 men for the first
Jack Bechtel and the Doon School of Fine Arts
The Watson House has been a home to many famous artists over the years. During the era of the Doon School of Fine Arts, one such artist was gaining a
Homer Watson’s Top Hat
The collection at Homer Watson House & Gallery is known for its original Homer Watson paintings, however it is comprised of many other interesting objects and archives too. One of
Kitchener Market Portraits by Tom Cayley
Visitors to Homer Watson House & Gallery may not be familiar with some of the other artists who once resided in this historic home. One such artist is Tom Cayley,
Dinner at the Watsons
The Watson residence, situated in the village of Doon on the outskirts of Kitchener, served as a home, studio, and gallery to members of the Watson family between 1883-1947. During
Phoebe’s Green Ledger
Phoebe Watson is often depicted as Homer Watson’s devoted sister, but what is really known about her? What were her interests, passions and ambitions? For the past few weeks, the team
Homer Watson, Swollen Creek (1870)
Homer Watson painted this piece when he was just fifteen years old and with no formal art training. Homer had his younger sister, Phoebe, pose in this painting along with
Homer Watson, The Old Mill (1878)
This early Homer Watson painting “The Old Mill” (1878) was painted when Watson was only 23 years old. Watson had just returned home from his brief artistic education, first at
Homer Watson, Willow Road, (1920s)
This painting depicts a willow farmer in Doon, Ontario on a warm sunny day. Although Watson was most famous for his landscape paintings, he also created many paintings of the
Phoebe’s Business Card
Whilst searching through the Homer Watson House and Gallery Archive today, we came across Phoebe Watson’s business card.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This card likely dates between 1912-1918, when Phoebe ran and operated
Phoebe’s Vase
Phoebe’s Painted Porcelian Vase c.1910-1930 Phoebe Amelia Watson (1858 -1947) This vase, created by Phoebe Watson, is made of soft porcelain and painted with motifs characteristic of the Arts &
Homer Watson and the Spanish Flu
“I had a little bird, it’s name was Enza, I opened up the window and in flew Enza ” (Children’s skipping-rope rhyme, 1918) In October, 1918, Kitchener became one of
