Sunday, March 15, 2009

Home for Gelder's Painting

Nima and I were looking for a painting for a while. Finally we found it yesterday and it was quite a unique experience for both of us.
We were driving when my eyes caught the site of a small and narrow shop called, "Gelder Fine Art". At first glance I saw several paintings hanged on the shop's walls. We parked the car and walked in.
when we entered, an old man with a bent back was sitting behind the incomplete canvas alone. There were several paint stains all over his pants and coats.
He looked up and smiled.
-It's a nice sunny day isn't it
- Yeah very lovely (I replied, while looking around)
There were so many beautiful paints all over the shops.
-I think these are all his painting Hiva (Nima whispered in my ears)
- These are all my paintings
- Oh there are really beautiful
-Thanks (He answered with his low voice)
I've had this shop for 47 years
- Wow (Nima and I reacted)
- You know next week is my birthday, in March
- Nice, next week is my birthday too
- Really, mine is on March 25th (He seemed amazed)
I am gonna be 92 years old
- I am gonna be 29 (I was thinking God 92, 29 both in March such a coincident)
- 92, 29.. Really? are you going to be 29 years old? (He asked me with excitement)
I am lucky to come so far, I served in military for 8 years during world war II in South Africa, India and Italy.
and then he told us about how he met her wife there and fell in love at first sight.
- I saw her and I told to myself, God I can't live without her. We married in one month
We looked at all of his paintings one by one, while he was briefly explaining where usually he painted them. Most of his paintings were scenery in impressionist style.
- Most of these scenes are somewhere around Mississauga and beautiful Credit river (He said)
- That's interesting I did a lot of photography around credit river before winter (Nima said excitedly)
There was one paint that caught my eyes more than the others, beautiful summer day along the credit river with a girl and her dog walking near the river.
- If you like it take it down , bring it home hang it on the wall for few days and then if you find it what you were looking for come back and pay it.
He offered us a very fair price with huge discount!!
- At this age, all I want is to make sure my paintings are finding a good home. I don't have too many years left and usually after the painters death his paintings' value increases.
Nima and I were speechless. I couldn't think of any thing to tell him in response.
We love the painting , it's just so perfect in our cosy dinning room but more than that this experience make it so special to us. Each time looking at his small signature beneath the picture "Wilfred W. Gelder" remind me of a lovely old man in small cosy shop in streets ville.
We will go back to his shop in few days to pay for the painting and this time I will have my camera with me.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

How nice, I am waiting for your pics from him and his paintings :) I love painting!
Nasim

Behdokht said...

Sweet man, sweet story! I love things when they have nice stories behind themselves and that makes them just unique :)

Anonymous said...

Hiva golam, sal e no mobarak azizam. khoshhalam keh hanooz be nimche weblog e man sar mizani:) boos va behet khosh begzare...

Nazkhatoun

Georg said...

Bonjour Hiva,

A pleasure to read, you love people.

Now it might be interested to show the painting you both purchased and eventually those others in the gallery.

Georg

Hiva said...

I'll post the picture of the painting and the painter very soon :)))

Anonymous said...

Just to let you know. Wilf's family is closing his shop today. He did just celebrate his 93rd birthday, however, it was in the hospital.

I had seen that painting in his store many times and admired it very much.

Treasure your special painting from a very special man.

Hiva said...

Oh my god, I was just telling Nima today that we should visit him, sine his birthday was few days ago. I really like to see him again...

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for posting this... My Gelder was my art teacher for four years... He used to run classes out of the same store you visited... I used to intentionally get there early so I could just look at all his paintings. I have not seen him since 2006... I have no Idea what happened to him, that pains me because he was such a huge influence on my art. I wish I knew if he was still alive...

Hiva said...

Thanks for your comment Shelby. I don't know anything about his whereabouts either. I wish I knew

Anonymous said...

I am a friend of his son. Wilfred Gelder passed away on November 24, 2015 at the age of 98. He had been living in a seniors' home for the past 5 years in Mississauga. Lovingly remembered by his family and the Streetsville community.

Marie Harwood said...

I too had the same experience as Nina. We met him at the Bread and Honey festival in the early 90,s.
I mention that my grandma had left me a small sum and I would love a painting of my 4 children. There wascone of the bow valley near Calgary but it was missing my youngest child Lisa. Well he added her in and we became good friends.
He also added our dog Frisby on a Bronte river dock painting and I have one of his iconic Credit River paintings.I jow live in Boucherville, QC where 2 of his works live and 1 in in Mt-Tremblant with Henry Timmins who actually redid his roof at tte time. He recommended to my Mom Jacquie some wise art investments.
I am so sorry to read he passed on
almost 5 years ago.
Marie de Lotbinière Harwood