Part Three

It’s almost 10 years since my dear friend, composer Ann Southam went ‘over the horizon’ on November 25, 2010, age 73.  In honour of the upcoming tenth anniversary of her passing, I'm publishing this In Memoriam & Recollections essay.  The essay explores our close friendship, the early days with her music, the vital role she played at the beginning of my career, and the fledgling art scene we experienced in Toronto, early 1960's.

Part Three 

Ann Helped with Early Days of my career and the early exhibitions

In early spring 1963, courtesy of an art collector, I was headed to Mexico to paint. Mostly in San Miguel de Allende -- at that time a fledgling artists’ colony for Canadians and Americans.

When I got back in the autumn of 1963, Ann and I picked up where we left off.

She paid for my watercolours, brushes or any art supplies I needed. However I always aimed for maximum results with minimum use of materials and was not wasteful.

By now I had moved to a new place, 59 Huntley Street. Peter Stollery rented the house and I sublet an apartment from him on the first floor.

The whole bohemian art scene had opened up for me, both through Barbara and mostly Ann.

While in Mexico, I met someone who lived in Mill Valley, California, who invited me to visit. Ann paid for the airfare.

There I met Kaye, a woman from Wisconsin of Norwegian and French heritage. We fell “heads over”, you know what I mean. Kaye took me to her home in Racine, Wisconsin. Afterwards we went to Toronto together.

While I had been away, Ann continued to pay the rent at Huntley Street. Kaye moved in with me.

579 Jarvis Street days

Not long after, I noticed a “For Rent, Apartment with Manager Duties” at 579 Jarvis Street.

Only five minutes from Huntley Street, the manager tasks consisted of collecting rents from the other tenants, putting out garbage, and making sure everything was in working order, including appliances.

We were accepted, and paid a low rent in exchange for carrying out these tasks. The apartment was on the ground floor, facing Jarvis Street, it was a solid, old stone building.

We had very little furniture: a bed, one solid wood table and four sturdy chairs, and a fridge and stove.

I painted at the back, in the kitchen.

"Helios Smiles", watercolour 1963  Henri van Bentum

Painted in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Shown at exhibition, First Unitarian Church

Not long after returning to Toronto from Mexico, I had my first exhibition. It wasn’t at a gallery but the First Unitarian Church. Toronto Star’s journalist Lotta Dempsey wrote her impressions of this exhibition.

"Dwelling of a Faun", acrylic on paper, 1963, Henri van Bentum

Also shown at the First Unitarian Church exhibition

Meanwhile Kaye found a job at Toronto City Hall, while I continued my explorations with a new medium: acrylic.

Ann Brings Her Baby Grand Piano to 579 Jarvis

Because our apartment was spacious and the front room was sparsely furnished, Ann asked if she could bring her Baby Grand piano, to practice.

Of course we were delighted. Kaye herself had played double-bass in Racine, Wisconsin but she didn’t practice in Toronto.

Ann invited singers and other musicians over to the apartment, such as Roxolana Roslak, for whom she also wrote and played.

Later on, Ann had the idea of turning the front room into a salon, a “Vienna of the North”, with private soirees for modern music aficionados, and those who were curious about contemporary music.

She rented chairs, brought wine and cheese and crackers. Before long, on several Saturday evenings our bare front room morphed into a ‘petit salon’. All because Ann “had an idea”.

Often I’d just stand and listen to Ann practising, stopping my work for a few moments. 

We mostly had our lunches there. I love cooking and would often prepare lunch, while other times Ann ordered take-out Chinese food.

At that time Ann had dark, deep moods. She tried to overcome this by drinking whiskey, straight. She called the ‘firewater’ her emotional blanket. But I never saw Ann intoxicated in my presence, nor anywhere else.

Sometimes she had self-doubt about her composing talent. Conflicts, confusion, “yes” or “no” about coming out. And her independent income caused conflicts for her too.

By nature she had an outgoing friendly disposition, and she wanted to know why these conflicts arose. She said she wished to be “more alive”.

Before I met Kaye, I had asked Ann to marry me. She replied, “Some day, Henri. Some day, my friend. . . .” Of course I never asked again, since later I sensed now her ‘gay’ nature, which I fully accepted and understood.

Nomadic Life in Toronto and Start of Major Exhibitions

Because of my wandering, nomadic nature I had lived in many different places. I worked as a gardener and did other odd-jobs.

Ann wanted me to have my own studio or permanent place, but I declined. So I moved around to several boarding houses all over Toronto.

The more contemporary art galleries showed little interest in my work, but Roberts Gallery did, and invited me to participate in a small Christmas group exhibition. The only other abstract artist there was York Wilson.

After a few sales, I was offered a solo exhibition at their stately quarters on the corner of Yonge and Isabella Streets. Jack Wildridge, the owner, set the opening date for February 1965. Just over a year away.

Meanwhile Ann often came over to our place at 579 Jarvis Street during the day, playing on her Baby Grand. And the soirees continued about once a month for some time.

Ann, from the moment I met her, must have already been a feminist, although I was somewhat ignorant of it.

She made sure I had all the art supplies I needed to prepare for the exhibition. Barbara Macdonald and Kaye helped with this too - - - the Three Graces, the Three Patrons, I called them.

Outside of invitation to solo exhibition, Roberts Gallery, 1965

The February 1965 solo exhibition at Roberts Gallery sold out. But because the prices had been kept low (as a newcomer, first major show), after the opening night expenses and framing, etc there was little left over.

A year and a half of work and nothing to show for it financially. However there was the inner joy of having been recognized.

Next: Part Four
(click on "Older Posts", below right)