Celebrating Feminine Beauty
By: Susan Kelly
Glamorous and sophistication are ‘in’ when it comes to interior decor, and there are always those who appreciate some retro charm. These qualities define the work of Frederick Watson, who has enjoyed a career that has spanned close to five decades, first as a fashion illustrator, then a fine artist. “I’ve always loved the glamour of the Gatsby era, and of films from the 1930’s and 40’s,” says the artist from his Toronto home. “The furs, the hats, the veils, the mystique – I love it all.”
Frederick seemed to be nudged along the path to artistic greatness as if by the gentle nuzzle of his beloved childhood horses. Even as a young boy, he would take notice of his mother’s elegant turn-of-the-century attire and her flamboyant shock of red hair. His grandfather, a haberdasher by trade, would also leave an indelible mark on Frederick Watson’s grand imagination. These boyhood impressions were imprinted on his mind and would later appear as the magic behind his paintings, fashion illustrations, and posters.
Frederick Watson’s bio reads like a vintage Hollywood script: When not riding bareback across fields, a southern Ontario farm boy avidly watches old movies and sketches elegant women in his notebook. Moves to Toronto at age 20 to join a tap dance troupe and acting company. One day in 1957, while working as a coat-room clerk at Simpson’s department store, a flamboyantly chic lady, one of the many he admires, leaves behind a portfolio. She is legendary fashion illustrator Jean Miller, who quickly becomes his mentor.
A new career as fashion illustrator begins, changing his life forever. Fashion illustrator was a hot commodity until the 1980’s. “But our work was disposable,” Frederick says. “People would throw away newspaper and the companies did not archive illustrator’s work.” He made forays eight times a year to New York City to observe glamorous ladies. There he mingled with an elite coterie of illustrators, including Kenneth Paul Block, Jay Hyde Crawford, Richard Ely and Rene Gruau. Frederick’s credentials earned him a seat at couture fashion shows where he cut a stylish figure himself. Today, at age 80, the artist still aims for an appearance that is “Dapper, but not a dandy.”
The Feminine Mystique
Frederick Watson began oil painting on canvas 20 years ago as a sideline and it is now his primary focus. Although he occasionally paints portraits, most of his works depict composite women. He begins with a face drawn from his imagination with a ner reverence. His subjects represent the elusive qualities of beauty and elegance that have ever fascinated him. “I started painting for myself and people liked the results,” he says. “So I just kept painting these wonderful women of a bygone era with their red lips and veils.”
Eminent fashion journalist Jeanne Beker has known Frederick for almost two decades. Over the years they’ve collaborated at fashion events and she owns several of his works. She was first attracted by the sense of history and fashion illustration aspect, a lost art now making a comeback. “He has turned it into a fine art through these glorious canvases,” Beker says.
Envision if you will, seductress, countess, vamp, diva. Frederick pays homage to the style, heritage, and spirit of the feminine mystique. He conjures up an impartial measure of gaiety and frivolity. Frederick’s strong bold lines exploding with kinetic energy create a theatrical vignette on canvas. Perhaps Andy Warhol, more than any other contemporary artist, echoes Frederick’s mesmerizing allure.
Toronto’s Jeanne Beker is just one of many media influencers to recognize Frederick’s innate genius in fashion art. Feature columns in the Toronto Star, the Globe & Mail, Bravo magazine, US magazine, along with other journals, have touted the artist’s versatility and originality. Beker’s favorite Frederick Watson painting, one that has a place of prominence in her home, is a very early work from the 1050’s. Its subject is a high-fashion woman at an art gallery, seen from the back with a white fur wrap draped across her shoulders. His works have an appeal that extends beyond fashion, Beker finds. “They have a sense of whimsy along with the elegance,” she says. “They celebrate the feminine beauty and great style.”
Evelyn Rowat & The Fortunes of Fate
At the age of 16, Frederick was determined to venture forth into the world. he chose Toronto as his destination and left the idyllic serenity of his home behind. but things would not be easy for the inexperienced teenager. Toronto in the ’50’s was challenging on many levels. survival meant that he would have to take on a plethora of low paying jobs. Chance or destiny? As a checkroom attendant, he had the good fortune of meeting Jean Miller, fashion illustrator for the “Room” at the Robert Simpson Company. Frederick later found his way to Ann Buckley, major fashion executive at T. Eaton Company. These connections would prove pivotal for the artist.
Simpson’s and Eaton’s were Canadian bastions in the retail fashion industry. Frederick worked on his portfolio of illustrations, posters, and paintings at every waking moment. Eventually, he was hired in Toronto by the prestigious retail establishments, Mr. Smith, Fairweather, J. Michaels, Anjene, Rudolf Originals, The Irish Shoppe, to name but a few. Kenneth Paul Block of new york greatly encouraged Frederick in the pursuit of fashion illustration, and Frederick would sketch through the night driven by his passion for beauty.
It is, however, Evelyn Rowat – Top fashion illustrator for New York’s Lord Taylor, and Vogue magazine Paris – upon whose works Frederick Watson expounds. admiring Evelyn for more than her professional acumen, he would become her most trusted friend and confidante. He stood by her side during the arduous, as well as triumphant, moments of her life. Having enjoyed a successful and lucrative career in new york, Evelyn later returned Toronto where she took up residence at the Sutton place hotel; a favorite haunt during the ’70’s and ’80’s. There, dame Evelyn held court in the dining lounge where she was affectionately referred to as the Duchess. Evelyn Rowat was married to the famous Canadian artist, Rene Marcil of Montreal. Their marriage was a tempestuous affair, as Rene endured many bouts with schizophrenia. they lived mostly apart since it was difficult sustaining any semblance of normalcy. Rene traveled frantically as the mood swept over him – New York, Paris, London. He eventually settled in the south of France. throughout their union, Evelyn would sometimes not know her husband’s whereabouts for months, and even years, on end. Evelyn Rowat died in 2001, naming Frederick Watson as executor of her estate. although she was left penniless, she bequeathed him a significant inheritance of art by Rene Marcil worth a fortune to Frederick.
Recreating the Beauty of the Past
The legacy of Frederick Watson remains an enigma. A Canadian living legend, he sits bemused at the Sutton place hotel, surrounded by beautiful people, and wonders aloud, “What is all the fuss about?” He continues to paint prolifically to this day and is always in search of a new audience. Frederick Watson’s has created a unique fine art collection of fashionable women, reminiscent of the classic art deco style. The images capture the grandeur of a past era, both timeless and elegant. His works have appeared in several major shows in Toronto and New York over the years. He’s currently busy slecting pieces to appear in an upcoming show at Gallery 36 on Avenue Rd. There is an inventory of 150 large-scale paintings on canvas, the smallest of which measures 30 square inches, and a large selection of limited-edition prints to sift through. He also accepts private commissions. Theater posters he composed in the early days are now collectors’ items, as are a series of art deco-inspired fashion posters he released in the 1980s.
Frederick paints every day, always on the lookout for an image to inspire him. These are found mostly in his personal library of books and magazines containing photos or illustrations from his favorite eras. But every Sunday, he strolls through one flea market or another in search of fresh sources. “As I go forward I see, to go back further in time and to my roots in lustration,” Watson says. “I’m impatient to finish a work so I can start the next one.”