Lot 151: Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on

Kathleen Moir Morris 1893 - 1986 Canadian oil on board Byward Market, Ottawa 10 x 13 inches 25.4 x 33 centimeters signed and on verso titled and inscribed ""Miss Maw [or May], 172 Ottawa St, Ottawa"" Literature:A.K. Prakash, Independent Spirit: Early Canadian Women Artists, 2008, page 156 Provenance:Private Collection, Toronto By descent to the present Private Collection, Toronto The history of the Byward Market in Ottawa is the history of working-class folk, of farmers and industry. Although today it is best known for its trendy restaurants and boutiques, this was not always so. The Market area was, until two or three decades ago, simply known as Lowertown, Ottawa's oldest blue-collar neighbourhood and the hub of the city's French inhabitants. York Street was the farmers' street, lined with all sorts of store shops, sidewalk sellers and fruit stands. Kathleen Morris has created a portal to the past in her animated painting Byward Market, Ottawa. A.K. Prakash compliments Morris on her insightful vision, writing that, "Each painting is a window on the past, offering visions of pioneer fortitude to modern generations seeking inspiration and a refuge from the present...she immortalizes her experience through the imagination of a poet." Her vivacious use of colour and detail help us to envision the bustling noise, sights and smells of this lively market scene.