In 1970 we took our big front door
And put it in a new place
it had never been before

And little did we know
that that would be the start
Of something very special
and very close to our heart

Because we got to know
a person who was wise
Who ran the Merton Gallery
and somehow changed our lives

Her name was Jean
and we discovered she had a mind
Full of every single idea
of the curatorial kind

In 1971 we did it all again
And several times thereafter
it became a great refrain

And in the meantime
I spent a good few days
Working with her and learning
and listening to all she had to say

When she had had her fill
of the Merton Gallery
She moved on through
and stirred things up at good old OCA

For many years I worked with her
She was an extraordinary confrere

We volunteered on exhibitions
at the OCC
And the contemporary gallery
at the TMC

Eventually she landed in a place
Where she could thrive and hit her pace

At Harbourfront she championed craft
With lots of ideas
and serious graft
And when they had found her
they wouldn’t let her go
And so she stayed
and worked and played
Until at the age of 84
She said ”No more, no more!”

Of course retirement was no rest
The painted flowers and did her best
To help and advise whenever she could
And support and treasure all she should
And still is active and will stay
That way for many more years, we pray.

 

Written by Judith for the occasion of Jean’s 90th Birthday,  January 31st, 2014