Order Catalogue
Presenting a record of the lives and artistic accomplishments of Fred Coates (1890-1965) and Louise Brown Coates (1889-1975), this exhibition rediscovers the art and design of Fred and Louise Coates for another generation of Canadians. It evokes a period when the Arts and Crafts movement not only influenced their art but also permeated all aspects of their lives. Their impressive house on Chine Drive was built in the Arts and Crafts tradition and stands today as a fine example of that tradition. Pictures of the artists at work, the construction of their home, Sherwood, and the costume soirees held in Sherwood, convey lasting impressions of their lives and, more generally, an artist's lifestyle in Toronto between the two World Wars. The exhibition also documents their artistic achievements with designs for architecture, graphics, theatre sets and costumes, and it includes watercolours, drawings, photographs and objects illustrating these designers' long and varied careers. The exhibition curator was Paul Makovsky, assisted by Hrag Vartanian and Harold Averill, Assistant University Archivist.