John Knox’s Picture Windows

You never know what you will find when you move into a new house. When John and Betty Knox moved into their home in Norway Bay 20 years ago, they found a basement full of old windows. As the couple worked to make the house their own, Betty urged John to do something with the old widows and he promised that he would drag them out as soon as he could find the time.
The move from Kemptville to Norway Bay brought the couple one step closer to their retirement dreams but John still had eight years left to work for the Federal Government. That meant eight more years of commuting, leaving little time for household jobs.
His job was rewarding. Working as a draftsman with an interest in architectural drawing, John loved to design things. As a child, his mother took him along to painting classes. She had talent. Those days were memorable ones for John and may have influenced his career choice. He enjoyed the creativity and even picked up a paintbrush from time to time when time permitted. Nothing serious though, he and Betty were kept busy raising their two daughters.
A few years ago, John and Betty visited one of their daughters at school in Toronto. On a sunny afternoon, the three found themselves window shopping on Queen Street. John was struck by a painting outside of a shop. Whimsical cats and dogs were painted in vibrant acrylic on a pane of glass inside an antique frame. John stopped to admire it and was inspired by the creativity and clever use of the windows.
“Betty,” he said. “I am finally going to do something with those old windows in the basement.” When he finally retired John found himself, like many retirees, with more time to spend on projects and hobbies that he had been thinking about for years. He brought the old windows out of the basement and cleaned them up. He dug out his paintbrushes and paint.
In time, the windows came alive with dancing yellow sunflowers, tall birch trees with dazzling autumnal leaves, white-walled lighthouses, and tiny birds perched on stiff branches. John had transformed those old windows into delightful works of art. They had finally made their way out of the basement, but not in the way that Betty had thought. The windows that had once been destined for the dump now adorned their dining room walls.
Soon, friends and neighbours began to take notice. They loved the painted windows. “Creating art that others appreciate is a thrill,” said John. The greatest compliment I have ever received was from my friend Bruce Robertson. He bought a sunflower painting and hung it on his wall right beside an AY Jackson painting. At that point, I began to realize that theyreally value my art.”
This year, John’s work has gotten a lot of attention around Norway Bay and in Shawville. He has pieces displayed at White Buffalo Vintage and Bristol Auto and has become active on Facebook.
When he is not painting windows, John spends his time in the garden. He also likes to sail and golf.