SOPHIA - Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

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TheA Reve-~ ist . . ed by Nancy Riediger Fehderau "rfwould really like to get to know this artist," the art critic softly mused as V ~he examined one of Helen Rempel's paintings at a local art show. That comment was overheard by one of Helen's friends who had accompanied her to the show. However, the self-effacing, reclusive Helen was nowhere in sight. That art critic never did meet her. I did get to know Helen Rempel - the child, the woman, the sister, the artist - as I had the privilege of spending several afternoons with her in preparation for this article. Helen was born in Kitchener in 1929, the oldest of three children. Those were the tough depression years. She very quickly learned the meaning of thriftiness. Her father, Peter, a sign painter by profession, found it difficult to find steady employment, which forced the family to move to wherever work was available. By the time Helen was thirteen years old, the family had relocated twelve times. This was especially difficult when they moved in the middle of the school year. It was not only the constant changes of the school environment that bruised this shy, fragile young child. At home, too, her sensitive spirit was 16 SOPHIA / WISDOM
crushed by fear of the harsh, critical nature of her father. That fear often paralysed her, as it seemed she could do nothing right. Books became her beloved companions. She showed me some that were her favourites as a child, eagerly relating how she had been charmed by the fine "old-world" illustrations and the tales that had awakened her imagination. Helen's talent was inherited from her paternal grandparents. Her grandmother bore herself with a dramatic flair, and sketched complete, detailed drawings in miniature. Her grandfather, Peter Gerhard Rempel, was a photographer, well known throughout the Mennonite colonies of the Ukraine. His extraordinary photographs have been published in the book Forever Summer; Forever Sunday. Helen's father used his talent mainly in sign painting. Helen herself remembers drawing pictures as a young child, even then taking infinite care with the smallest of details. How she admired the lovely penmanship in her school primers. She delighted in practising the graceful swirls and loops of the letters until she got them just right. Looking through her high school year book, one can easily recognize Helen's beautiful illustrations, signed with her characteristic, elegant signature. After graduating from high school, Helen was employed by an insurance company. She remembers the thrill of finally having enough money to buy her first little set of oil paints. How she looked forward to trying them out at home! That anticipated joy was quickly dashed by her mother's words: "Why would you waste your time painting pictures? You should be sewing and doing something useful." In spite of the discouragement, her goal to study at the Ontario College of Art in Thronto remained intact. Finally, after working five years, she had saved enough money for one year at the college. There, her talent flourished. She was even offered a scholarship to continue. But her father took ill and died a few months before the end of the term. Her mother needed her at home. Friends persuaded her mother to allow Helen at least to finish that year. Then she returned home and found employment again. But she continued to pursue her love of art. She bought and completed the Famous Artists home study course. She became aware of different techniques and was particularly intrigued with Norman Rockwell's use of photographs to compose his pictures. From then on, she was never without her camera. She joined a camera club and an art club. She would ride out into the country on her bicycle or join outings with the Field Naturalists and take colour slides, which became the resources for her paintings. Se delighted in practising the graceful swirls and loops of the letters until she got them just right. It was in her private world of painting that Helen felt most at ease. Public and social situations where she was the focus caused her great discomfort. She preferred to remain hidden and unnoticed, allowing only a few people to befriend her. Throughout those early years when the family was constantly moving, it had been difficult to remain in a church community for any length of time. And later the family had to follow their father; who seemed constantly to be searching for the perfect church. Because of this, her spiritual nurture was fragmented, and she recalls how confused she felt. She finally found her church home in the Kitchener MB Church, but the prospect of having to give her testimony publicly for membership gave her unbearable anguish. A creative solution was found. A friend faced the congregation in her stead and read her eloquently written testimony on her behalf. Everyone who was there will not forget that evening. Meanwhile, Helen quietly continued to paint. People - particularly children - nature and animals have always been her favourite subjects. The meticulous and careful attention that she gives to each detail is one of her trade- marks. She says that she sometimes finds it difficult to know when to stop "fiddling with the details" and let the picture go. In time, her talent became known, and she began to accept commissions. In 1972, she left her place of employment and became a full-time artist. Friends encouraged and assisted her to show her paintings at various art shows. The manager of an art gallery in St Jacobs, the centre of Amish and Mennonite country in Ontario, was impressed with her paintings and invited her to work for his gallery. Since tourists were always eager to buy paintings depicting Mennonite life, he wanted the bulk of her pictures to relate to that theme. Every 18 months he expected 20 paintings. By 1989 she felt that she needed a rest from that demanding schedule. She fully expected to return to her painting again after a few months. Well, those months passed, and then more months went by. The longer she waited, the less constrained she felt to paint. It has now been ten years. She assures me that she is happy and content. Her greatest passion is to forage around in second hand bookstores, usually returning laden with a box of treasures; old books, some beautifully bound and illustrated, which she delights in reading. Gardening gives her much pleasure. She showed me several lovely paintings of flowers that she had grown, cut, arranged, photographed and then painted. She bakes her own rye bread, occasionally prepares some favourite traditional Continued on page 23 ~ FALL 1999 17
Page 1 and 2: SOPHIA W I S D 0 M Say to Wisdom, "
Page 3 and 4: ,a, couple of years ago, the editor
Page 5 and 6: although it may occur at any time o
Page 7 and 8: Seasons of Blessings by Olga Enns w
Page 9 and 10: The above image is an adaptation of
Page 11 and 12: ~e b~st part .about ~ ~owmgupm Nort
Page 13 and 14: than I had given. I learned that in
Page 15: Justina by Esther Regehr Sometimes
Page 19 and 20: The Dance of the Dissident Daughter
Page 21 and 22: A Child Again by Lori J. Willms Neu
Page 23 and 24: !\VO Poems by Marianne Jones Pilgri

SOPHIA - Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

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