‘She meant a lot of things to a lot of people’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/12/2021 (1361 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Tributes have been coming in for Bev Morton, a local gallery owner and arts patron who died recently.

As reported in the Dec. 8 edition of The Lance, the 71-year-old owner of the Provencher Boulevard-based Wayne Arthur Gallery died in November after a long battle with cancer.

“Bev’s gallery was well-known, and she was a fixture in St. Boniface,” Morton’s sister, Sandra Morton Weizman, said recently. “She was renowned in Manitoba and had a huge following among artists. Her gallery was a cultural hub and a place for artists to come to and meet up. She was a big mentor for emerging artists and also a draw for artists from remote areas of the province.”

Artist Ruth Kamenev, who knew Morton well, had a number of exhibits at her friend’s gallery through the years.

“She meant a lot of things to a lot of people,” Kamenev, who lives in Transcona, said.

“For me, Bev provided a place where I felt very at home and very comfortable. The gallery was an easy place to be, and the people I met there were all artists or art appreciators — you find your tribe. I’ve met a lot of different artists through Bev, and the gallery was a great widener of my world.”

Kamenev said the gallery provided local artists with the opportunity to showcase their work in a welcoming, nurturing environment.

“To have a small, local gallery that was very inclusive was a gem. It was unique. If Bev had the room, she’d gladly show anyone’s work,” she said, adding that one of Morton’s last acquisitions at the gallery was from a local girl.

“I’ve been painting for a number of years, and I’m a totally different artist now than when I started showing at the gallery. Bev sold pieces for me almost every month, which was an indication for me that I was heading in the right direction.”

“She helped me a lot. Bev had her quirks, but she wasn’t an ordinary person. She was non-judgmental and very accepting,” Kamenev added.

St. Boniface-based artist James Culleton has had several solo shows at the gallery and has also participated in some of the group shows through the years.

Culleton looks fondly on his association with the gallery, and noted it’s hard to sum up Morton’s contribution to the community, and the legacy she’ll leave, in a few lines.

“It was about being part of a larger community of artists. I met several new friends there so it was a good place to connect with like-minded people,” Culleton said.

“I know she helped a lot of artists over the years, giving them someone to talk to about art, a place to show and meet. It was interesting to me that she carried on Wayne’s name and ideas through the gallery and also maintained and art practice herself. Her fabric collages are playful and thoughtful. I can’t say there are many artists in the city who have done that — given their life to supporting the art and artists.”

“I hope we can figure out a way for the Wayne Arthur Gallery to continue in some form or another so that Bev’s legacy continues to help Winnipeg’s art community.”

As it turned out, Erica de la Rosa’s photography exhibit in November was the last show to be held at the gallery.

The Transcona resident talked about Morton’s passion for both the gallery and the community of artists in the province.

“She did what she did with the local community in mind, and we’re so grateful for that. It was her love, her life, and what kept her going,” de la Rosa said, adding having a show at the gallery opened doors for lots of artists.

“When she working, if she hadn’t told me she was ill, I wouldn’t have known it. Her resiliency was amazing, and she had such fortitude because she felt she had a purpose. She was just an amazing patron and supporter of the arts.”