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Robert Gait

I am a Curator Emeritus (Ph.D. in Mineralogy, University of Manitoba, 1967) at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. When I retired in 1996 and, without any training in fine art, I tried my hand at watercolour illustrations of mushrooms and fungi. To this end I joined the Mycological Society of Toronto (MST) and learned a great deal about these amazing denizens of our local parks and woodlands. Between 1996 and 2004 I had exhibitions of my mushroom pictures at MST’s annual “Fungi Fair”. Through a friend I was fortunate to meet Pamela Stagg, a well-known botanical artist, whose art courses not only helped me with my mushroom paintings but also introduced me to the joys of painting flowers. The latter is a secret ambition that remained untested because of the lack the gumption to even try it. Where possible I try to paint from “life” but usually I have to resort to photographs. The “bird’s nest fungus” (the cups are about 4 mm in diameter) was done from a photograph which I took near Washago, Ontario, in August 2005. The Gloriosa Lily is home grown in my apartment so I am well acquainted with it. Bauhinia was photographed on a street in Honolulu, Hawaii. My debts of gratitude go of course to members of the MST who encouraged me, especially the late Betty Williamson of Ottawa, whose mushroom illustrations are unsurpassed; my friends and colleagues have politely encouraged my efforts; and of course, Pamela Stagg whose admonition, pronounced with a magnifying glass in hand, “Edges, edges, edges” runs in my head whenever I lift a paint brush. Thanks to you all.

Email: gait1017[at]rogers.com

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