G. Elizabeth Hoey

ELIZABETH WILKES HOEY, the gifted, versatile and much-beloved artist, was drawing in her sketchbook until two days before she passed on, June 19, 2012, in her 97th year. Born in Oakville, ON, January 19, 1915, Elizabeth followed her mother, Edith Clarkson Wilkes and grandmother, Gertrude Lambe Clarkson, to become an artist and graduated from the Ontario College of Art. In 1945 she married William Arthur Nelson Hoey, public relations, Proctor and Gamble and established a hand-operated silkscreen textile printing facility in a barn on their lakeside property in Bronte, ON. They co-founded Wilcam Fabrics with the artist Angus H. Macdonald and printed custom-designed fabrics for Thor Hanson, Westinghouse Canada, Bank of Nova Scotia, University College Women’s Residence (U of T), Hart House, and Windsor Arms Hotel. She created two tile murals depicting scenes of old Toronto for the lobby balcony of the King Edward Hotel. In 1957 they relocated to 100-acre Elm Tree Farm, Moffat, ON. They converted a drive shed into a print shop and became expert in silkscreen dye applications to fabric, use of plant elements as applicators, and directly painting with dyes. They established a sheep farm specializing in black sheep, from which Elizabeth created unique wool products. With daughter Martha, Elizabeth entered the pottery field, creating painted plates and tiles. Throughout her life Elizabeth was a brilliant water colourist. Her poster of Wild Flowers of Canada was distributed by the Globe and Mail in many thousands of copies, and she illustrated Edith Fowke’s editions of Folk Songs of Canada and Chansons de Québec (Waterloo Music). Elizabeth’s work was exhibited at Art Gallery of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, Royal Botanical Gardens, Edwards Gardens, and MacDonald Art Gallery. On her 90th birthday the Textile Museum of Canada celebrated Elizabeth as a pioneer silkscreen printer and designer. In later years she practiced Therapeutic Touch and created series of works on paper that encompassed the energetic nature of the earth. Elizabeth was pre-deceased by her husband and her sister, Anne Wilkes Simmins. She leaves her brother George Clarkson Wilkes (Ottawa), daughters Carolyn Goldie (Picton) and Martha Hoey (Moffat), six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Her Life will be held on Sept. 22, 2pm-6pm at the ‘Originals’ Loft, Elm Tree Farm, No. 2113, 25 Sideroad, RR1, Moffat, ON, L0P1J0. For directions, www.elmtreecentre.com. Donations in memory of Elizabeth may be made to The Scholarship Fund, The Therapeutic Touch Network of Ontario, 290 The West Mall, Suite 4, Etobicoke, ON, M9C 1C6. Condolences may be sent to martha@elmtreecentre.com. Arrangements entrusted to the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 519-882-0051 or www.wallcustance.com.