Homer Watson House and Gallery - Restoration
The Homer Watson House & Gallery is the homestead of Homer Watson who lived there from 1855 to 1936. Watson was the artist "who first saw Canada as Canada" and painted what he saw with a Canadian character unlike earlier landscape artists in this country. Today his works are found in many galleries, including the National Gallery in Ottawa and the Art Gallery of Ontario, as well as in numerous private collections. Two of his works hang in Windsor Castle in England having been purchased for Queen Victoria when Watson was a young man. Watson's early Victorian house was also the home of the renowned Doon School of Fine Arts from 1948 to 1965. Along with temporary exhibitions, a variety of art workshops are offered to appeal to all tastes and abilities. The frieze in the studio which is shown on the lower part of the photo, was painted by Watson in 1894. Its restoration was funded by the Heritage Foundation. In 1955 the historical importance of the house was recognized by a plaque from the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and in 1980 the house and surrounding three acre property was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act as being of architectural and historic significance. Over the years a variety of grants have been awarded to the Homer Watson House and Gallery. The most recent funding request was to restore the roof of the coach house on the property. It is to be used by the artist-in-residence for teaching purposes.
