Photo 7 (credit David Freeman Freeman Art Consultancy) A very young Ernie – ‘Conyers’ Barker slouches on the far right of this early photograph taken by Charles Comfort back in 1932.
The venue was in the Library of the Grange, at a CSPWC meeting (Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolours) which was founded in 1925 by some of the most illustrious artists in Canadian art history. These were the early days when there was only a handful of members.
Conyers is pictured here with Joachim Gauthier, the President of the society, Franklin Carmichael, A. J Casson and Tom MacLean.
Charles Comfort who took the photograph, was himself to become President of the society in 1950.
The CSPWC founders were: F.H. Brigden, A.J. Casson, Franklin Carmichael, C.W. Jefferys, Fred S. Haines, L.A.C. Panton, R.F. Gagen, Thomas G. Greene, Robert Holmes, Franz Johnston, Andre Lapine and E.J. Sampson. With both Brigden and Panton formally tutoring Conyers in his art.
A friend of the great artist Franklin Carmichael, mentored by Joachim Gauthier, Tom MacLean, A.J.Casson and Franz Johnston, Conyers Barker was affectionately labled ‘the Horizontal Boy’ early in his artistic career by dorians of the art world and distinguished members of the Group of Seven, who were equally intrigued and puzzled by the linear stratum which he introduced into his painting.
