Norval Morrisseau by Armand Garnet Ruffo

Author:Armand Garnet Ruffo
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781771620475
Publisher: D & M Publishers
Published: 2014-09-27T04:00:00+00:00

6 highly coloured frames 16 × 20 canvas paper $240.00

Sacred fish 22 × 30 watercolour paper 60.00

Bear, Owls, Ojibwa 22 × 30 60.00

Serpents & Indian 22 × 30 60.00

Owls (3) 17 × 23 40.00

Ravens (4) 17 × 23 40.00

Great Owl 17 × 23 40.00

Moose 17 × 23 40.00

Owls (2) 17 × 23 40.00

Loon Totem 17 × 23 40.00

Sacred Bear 17 × 23 40.00

Sacred Owl 17 × 23 40.00

$740.00

He tells him that he will forward the cheque to him along with more paint and paper—a 100-pound roll from Dryden Paper Mill—and of course more books. Concerned about Morrisseau’s recent run-in with the courts, Lavack decides to send the cheque to Peter Joensen, the owner of McKenzie Meats. He instructs him to hold back $320, the amount due to the family court, in case Morrisseau ends up having to pay Harriet alimony after all. There is, however, a problem. Cambrian College’s cheque is made out solely to Morrisseau. Joensen has no choice but to give him the cheque in total, and the next thing Lavack hears is that the painter is back in jail in Kenora. Charged with neglect of family support, he won’t be released until September.

While in jail Morrisseau is admitted into the hospital for appendicitis, but he says he is fine. He is sober and painting again, “Thanks to the good graces of the Governor, who is a very good man.” He jokes that he was teaching art with two black eyes. In a tone that betrays shame and sadness, he says he would like to go away for a while when he’s finally let out.

Morrisseau’s last letter to Lavack is addressed to him at Cambrian College, where Lavack is employed for only a short time before he leaves Canada to fly for the World Health Organization. He asks for work. Lavack responds by poking him as though with the devil’s pitchfork they joke about. “Hail Noble One,” writes Lavack, “To be completely truthful, any art circuit or class type work requires a high degree of dependence and, noble thunderbird, I sure can’t say that we can depend on you. Regarding making money within the next two months, this should be easy if you keep off the juice (My hero!).” Lavack knows that the key to Morrisseau’s success is for him to stay away from alcohol. “You could easily realize your $1000 per month after expenses,” he tells him, and repeats, “The key, of course, is to keep off the booze!”

It is something Morrisseau will try to do again as it becomes part of a larger plan: “I want to woe the good Graces or should I say to start courting my sweetheart Harriet again,” he writes, sounding hopeful. And then realistic, forlorn: “But the old magic is gone now.”

In Lavack’s last letter to Morrisseau, dated April 4, he writes that “after nine years what can I say but farewell until we meet again—don’t know where, don’t know when, but I’ve been assured this will happen in the future.

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