Mary (Kendall) Percival
It is just a quarter of two o'clock, a.m. that is, and Mary is still in her studio out-barn at the farm, totally focused. Mary works to late hours in her 'Happy House', not because she is working to a deadline, but because precision is her passion.
To Mary, a creation is never complete, until one has exhausted all aspects of artistic skill, honed from years of practice, perfection and patience. Her excellence is relative to a combination of circumstance, history, science and intuition. It is inspiring to accompany Mary on daily pursuits as she is constantly experimenting. She gives multi-tasking new meaning when it comes to the projects she tackles. Her attitude is enthusiastic to learn new approaches and she is constantly involved in initiating new challenges. Hers is a lifestyle that many would envy, but few dare to boldly gamble the risk and just 'do it'.
Mary (Kendall) Percival started doing watercolours at six years old from their home in Muskoka. She went on to study Commercial & Fine Arts, later moving to New York City and adding illustration and Interior Design to her credentials. Mary's first one-woman show was in New York, 1946, at Lord & Taylor, where she worked as an Interior & Window Designer.
Mary's first experience of Algonquin was with her father in 1920s. They arrived by train to the Cache lake station beside the Highland Inn and stayed at the Northway's Lodge, later to be known as Nomanigan, on Smoke Lake. Eventually working at Camp Wapomeio for nine summers, as a canoe trip counselor and instructor teaching leatherwork and art, Mary loved portraying the Algonquin wilderness through a brush and colour.
In the early 1950s, when the Percival Clan lived in Guyana, South America, the jungle environment expanded Mary’s enthusiasm for portraying wild places and many years since, spent summering in Algonquin Park, have continued to rekindle that wilderness spirit. Mary has always been a part of art groups, from showing her personal works in various juried shows, or as a participant in sketching outings, with friends or with artists from the Arts & Letter’s Club of Toronto. Mary's work is constantly taking on expanded technical influences as she studies under acclaimed watercolour artists. One such experience, in July 1995, found Mary on a painting trip to Baffin Island, in Canada's Arctic with her one time teacher, Doris McCarthy.
Since the 1970s, Mary has created numerous travel log sketchbooks as she and her husband Keith have traveled the continents of the world. These are used in preparation for completing full size paintings back at home, north of Toronto. Mary has sketched and painted from the Queen Charlotte Islands to Newfoundland and from Nunavut to the Everglades of Florida. Their adventurous highlights to the south have included exploring Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, sailing around "The Horn" at Ushwaia, and hiking in Chile. Family treks in Europe have ventured relics on the Orkney Islands, the fjords of Scandinavia, the Balkans, and ancient Mediterranean cities of Greece and Turkey. Travel in the Soviet Union in 1980s included 9 of the 15 republics and their river adventures in China on the Li and the Yantze and rafting in Thailand on the river wai were wonderful inspiration for encountering the evolving geography. In Australia and the South Pacific, they snorkeled the Barrier Reef and the Cook Islands and hiked extensively in Tasmania and New Zealand. Some of their most exciting animal rides have been on elephants in Thailand, dromedary in the Soviet and horses and ostrich in South Africa. As a seasoned traveler, staying in many uncommon habitations and locations, Mary has learned to appreciate unusual and natural wild places and she expresses these visions through her artwork.
The cold places, at the edges of the world, have held some of Mary's most unique experiences. From sketching glaciers inhabited by Magellan penguins while rounding 'The Horn', southern most tip of the world, to painting them by midnight sun at 2 a.m. from Pangnirtung, Baffin Island, whilst wedged between rocks, in 60 km winds, at a wind chill factor of minus 10, in July, Mary has been there. She has experienced and interpreted life's natural fascinations for you and shown you colours beyond imagination.
Mary's paintings and sketches are testimony to her special talents as she portrays a sensitive understanding of unique cultures, topography, flora and fauna. Her lifelong love of all living organisms, especially the trees and dead-headed shores of Algonquin Park, will forever remain in our memories of the natural world which she adores.
Written by daughter, Cynthia Percival
Marlene (Deller) Smith '50
Since the dawn of Greek drama, civilizations have been measured by their theatrical arts. While Canada and Canadian theatre are still relatively young by comparison, they too have their heroic titans. Marlene (Deller) Smith ‘50 has been a tireless producer and passionately involved with Canadian musical theatre since becoming the Company Manager for Godspell in 1972. Her production credits are prolific and her impact upon Canadian stages will be lasting.
Marlene Smith came to Ontario Ladies’ College from Toronto in 1945 to join her older sister. Her poor sister cried for three months, not liking her new surroundings, whereas Marlene loved the school right away. It was during her second year that Dr. Osborne took over from Rev. Carscallen as Principal of the College. Marlene remembers the Principal’s spouse, Mrs. Florence Osborne, helping “Ossie” to find his footing after “Carky” left.
At the time, the College was nearly entirely populated by boarding students. The youngest prefect in the history of OLC, Marlene was selected for that role when she was only in Grade 11. Marlene and her roommates in her final year, Jane “Nic” (Nichols) McNally, Jane (Farlinger) Reeves and Pat Hogan, all assumed leadership roles in the School.
The four friends eventually resided in the beautifully situated and opulent room that is now home to Madam Begy’s French class. These dynamic friends have remained great pals and have “hung out” together since their OLC days (though, sadly, Pat passed away after a long battle with cancer).
The three remaining girls are just as much fun and full of mischief as they were “back in the day.” The graduate photo for class of 1950 has always been oddly absent from the wall but it is a situation we hope to soon remedy. Marlene has long been a staunch supporter of the school through her active involvement with our Board of Governors and the school’s Alumnae Association.
Marlene was once featured as Homemaker of the Year in Family Circle Magazine in 1969. By 1972, she became involved with theatre as way to “get out of the house a couple of days a week.” Little did she know that this pass-time would become a rich and rewarding career.
Marlene made the jump during the production of Godspell in 1972. The production was rich in raw talent, and many of the assembled members would go on to become well-known entertainment fixtures on both the big and small screens. Paul Shaffer, seen for over 20 years on the Late Night with David Letterman Show, was the play’s Musical Director. Actors Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Andrea Martin and Eugene Levy all went on to become either Second City or Saturday Night Live alumni and have appeared in many feature films.
The late Marvin Kraus, a New York producer, recognized traits Marlene possessed and mentored her to become a successful producer herself. “I’m amazed that no one is giving some kind of course so that everyone isn’t terrified of (producing). It is scary,” she concedes. Without actual hands-on learning, there are few ways for people to learn how to produce properly, and Marlene admits that too many give up after their first failed attempt, rather than “taking their lumps” and moving forward. She laments the loss of affordable, accessible theater spaces around Toronto that once offered those opportunities, such as the Ports, The Dell and Teller’s Cage. “Those kinds of spaces just can’t be found anymore.”
The all-Canadian production of Cats that Marlene produced ran for two and a half years at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre before touring for another year and a half across Canada with a final year of performances at Toronto’s Massey Hall. It was considered by critics to be one of the superior productions in the world. The cat that roared indeed.
David G. Edwards, Historian
Helena Jane Coleman
Helena Jane Coleman (1860-1953) was born in nearby Newcastle, Ontario. She was among the first students at Ontario Ladies’ College and received a gold medal in music. She served as head of the school’s music department from 1880 to 1892. A talented and prolific writer, she did not publish under her own name until Songs and Sonnets, 1906.
Her devotional writings have been compared to George Herbert, and her poetry in Marching Men voices the sentiments of many Canadians regarding the tragic slaughter of World War I.
Pseudonyms: - Caleb Black, Catherine G. Brown, Helen Gray Cone, Hollis Cattwin, L.D. Clark, Winifred Cotter, Winnifred Cotter, A.T. Cottingham, Winnifred Ford, Mrs. R.H. Hudson, Hollis Hume, Shadwell Jones, Annie Lloyd, M.D. Merrivale, Helen Saxon, Emily A. Sykes, Gwendolen Woodworth, Frances Alexander, Ralph Hodgson, F.G. Pearson, Maxwell Wallace and Dorothea West.
“For he who keeps within his heart a shrine Where tender dreams may gather, makes defence Against encroaching tides that undermine The soul's integrity and confidence,”
At Parting, Helena Coleman (1860 - 1953)
Mr. D. Edwards,
Historian