A Labour of Love

My siblings and I have inherited an enormous responsibility and a great privilege: the task of preserving, organizing, and eventually bringing into public view the wonderful artworks of our beloved great-aunt, Bertha May Ingle (1878 - 1962).

Bertha May Ingle - a self-portrait

Bertha's childhood was spent in farming and small-town environments, but she lived most of her creative life in or near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We knew her in her elder years, there, as 'Auntie Bert': a strong, independent, feisty, kind, and generous woman. It was always a special treat to visit her.

She loved the outdoors, and captured natural scenes of great variety with consummate artistry. She was equally accomplished in portraying people, whether with a few deft brush strokes in a landscape, or in any of her hundreds of portraits. Among the portraits, those of children are especially remarkable.

This blog will provide a means of reporting our progress. Many of our family and friends and supporters are already aware of the web site we have compiled, where her biography and images of her works can be found: Bertha M Ingle - an artist to celebrate. There, our visitors can see, learn, and leave comments and questions. But that site is only a beginning.

We have made considerable strides, over several years, in improving the storage conditions of the works, and in applying conservation to those most in need. Much, much more needs to be done. Please watch this blog, as the journey proceeds.