Arja has been painting for over 60 years and she is not only noted for her artwork, but as an entrepreneur having
owned the three “Studio 737 Art Galleries” for these past 30 years.
Arja began painting in earnest in 1985, while residing in Newfoundland where her husband, Joe Kurek was stationed
at the Naval Base near Placentia for four years. Several hundred of her oil paintings done on locations depicting
the nearby landscapes were sold out of her home and all signed again with her first name, “Arja”. Their home
turned into a gallery, as more and more people came looking to buy her work. You may have purchased more than a
painting of hers and one day soon, she should become recognized and respected not only for her art, but for her
positive influential actions within Canada’s artistic profession!
Upon her husband Joe’s retirement from the U. S. Navy in 1989, Arja, as a Canadian, wanted to remain in Canada and
to continue her Art Career. They were driving back to Ontario, where Arja’s family resided and looking for
possible places along the way, on the Trans Canada Highway #7, between Ottawa and Toronto, at the junction of
Highway #37, they found and old abandoned truck stop restaurant suitable for the location. The retail building
from 1950's, with a newer home combination and a large parking lot and 15 acres of land, they contacted the
realtor and were shown the property and decided it would work for Arja’s studio and perhaps, maybe a display of
her work, as well as, 15 other artists works. Decision was made and she ended purchasing the property.
They decided to call it, “Studio 737 Art Galleries” , because of the location on Hwy #7
and proximity to Hwy #37.
After several years, we were displaying not only 15 but 70 talented Canadian Artists, and by then with over
1,200 ORIGINAL
Canadian works of Art for sale. We decided right from the start not to deceive our customers with any
reproduced copies from the far East, no matter how many numbers, or signatures appeared on these pieces of paper!
We had our Art Gallery filled with only Original Art and and our customers appreciated it!
It took a lot of effort and money just to to renovate and convert an empty building 'in the middle of nowhere' so
to speak, by adding display walls, advertising signage on the building itself and on the highway, and in our case,
we were lucky, as the whim paid off. To be a factor and competitive in the art business, a gallery has to sell
artwork, and in 30 years over 3,500 pieces of art were sold! To have accomplished this by adding these paintings
for future generations to admire makes us very happy and proud. These sales were done not to gouge our customers,
but rather helping them decorate their homes with something original that would give them pleasure for years to
come! For three decades it worked, as we ran a very honest and sincere business, and both our artists and
customers appreciated it.
We have had a number of important customers who have frequented our three, Studio 737 Art Galleries. The Original
location on Highway #7, a satellite location in Richmond Hill, Ontario and after closing our original Gallery on
Highway #7, we opened our FINAL Art Gallery in Barrie, Ontario where we now reside. Our
artists exhibiting their
works in our three galleries was just awesome! For those of you, who are into the Canadian old Art market, if you
want to be impressed, we even sold one of the earliest Jean Paul Riopelle’s, a 16 x20 for $45,000, back in 1990,
which today would go for a quarter of a million, that someone consigned to us to sell! Also a number of Group of
Seven sketches were also consigned, not like completed oil paintings, like our artists made on location, as you
just can't capture the whole feeling of the subject matter in a sketch, but you have to paint that moment, right
there at that scene!
We will now name two artists besides Arja, that really need mentioning, the first one was a young lady named, Beth
Hoselton. She was only 18 years old, and her work was introduced to us by her artist father, Carl back in 1990.
Her portfolio of detailed acrylic works just blew us away, and so we, of course, hung her work up immediately and
after 30 years and 500-600 of her sales, we would have to consider her as one of Canada’s top wildlife artists.
Almost all of her wildlife works show the mothering instinct in the animal kingdom better than most! Just wait
until her work starts hitting those auction houses one day, if they haven't already!
The artist, Donald Gordon Fraser has had his accomplishments ignored,so we're using this article to amplify his
success as a painter and the staggering amount of his paintings that we sold! Canadian Art Collectors really don’t
have a true Canadian art collection without a Fraser's work! Don Fraser was actually Arja’s life drawing
instructor in Toronto, when she had emigrated to Canada with her family in 1957 from Finland and entered the
Central Technical Art School, where he taught life drawing. Years later imagine her surprise, when she went out
painting with a group of artists on location North of Peterborough, Ont., and that Mr. Fraser was one of those
artists. She then approached him and asked, if he would like to exhibit his work in our Gallery and he accepted.
Arja went to visit his home bringing back about 15 of his oil paintings. They were all very powerful impressionist
pieces! In no time we sold those 15 paintings and we both went over to Mr. Fraser's home to select another batch.
He greeted us and took us up to his attic, and we knew we hit the jackpot. There were over 800 oil paintings on
masonite panels from sizes 16”x 20” to 36”x 48”. These were not sketches, but completed paintings, we thought the
attic might even collapse from the weight. Downstairs in his studio were over 2,000 finished watercolours and his
famous sepia and charcoal character sketches, which he had accomplished while living and teaching art in Toronto.
The majority of these on paper were not signed, and as we would select the paintings we wanted, then Mr. Fraser
would sign them. We sold over 1,100 of Mr. Donald Gordon Fraser’s works during these 30 years, and even selling
his re-sales after his passing in 2003.
In 1993, Dr. Thierry Lefrancois, a Museum Director from France, happened to stop by the restaurant just down the
road from our Gallery for lunch and had seen the three paintings that Don allowed us to hang there. They were very
large masterpieces, and we hung them there to show the general public a taste of real art hanging in our Gallery,
just down the road. Dr. Lefrancois picked up one of our brochures and started communicating with us at
Studio 737,
Arja and myself were awestruck at what this gentleman presented. He asked, if we could contact Mr. Fraser to see
if Don would be willing to do a four-month Art Exhibition in his Museum in France!
At the time, we did not know, there had never been a “Living Canadian Artist” to have had a Museum Exhibition
outside of Canada. We visited Mr. Fraser and explained the letter. At first, to our surprise Don Fraser declined
from this exhibition, even we told him, that it was like winning the award from the Academy of Art and we were
sure surprised of his reaction. However, when Arja, picked up Don Fraser for a painting trip a few days later,
ARJA then EXPLAINED TO DON THAT THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS MUSEUM EXHIBITION IN 1995 WOULD BE NOT ONLY
FANTASTIC FOR
HIS ART CAREER, BUT FOR CANADA AND EVERY OTHER CANADIAN ARTIST PAINTING OUTDOORS, as well! Don,
finally agreed
with Arja, and told her to go ahead and reply to Dr. Lefrancois and at the same time, Mr. Fraser, with the help of
his daughter-in law, wrote back to Dr. Lefrancois a letter of acceptance. Studio 737 became more involved with the
details of the exhibition, while Mr. Fraser became involved with the selection of his Artwork. The FRENCH
GOVERNMENT paid for this entire exhibition the crating, shipping the advertising and Mr. Fraser and his Family’s
flights and hotel reservations. Not a penny was paid by the Canadian Government. “ARJA, a Canadian Immigrant from
Finland and myself an American flew to France to open Mr. Donald Gordon Fraser's Art Exhibition in June of 1995 on
behalf of the Canadian People!
One has to ask why? Well, in March of 1995, Prime Minister Jean Chretien was on CJOH-TV explaining, that Canada
should have more Canadians' Works of Art exhibited outside of Canada! Therefore, on April 7, 1995, we presented to
him an invitation to Mr. Donald Gordon Fraser’s Museum Art Exhibition in France. Ambassador Bouchard in France was
also contacted and offered an invitation, but both of these individuals said they were too busy? One would have to
think, why would they be too busy to assign another Canadian from their own party for this opening? I wrote to the
Director of the National Gallery of Canada and the Museum Director of the Art Gallery of Ontario even the
McMichael Collection Administrator they did nothing, just replied that they would put the information in their
files on Mr. Fraser. Over the years that followed I wrote to several Prime Ministers from both Parties, a Governor
General, and over a hundred Parliamentarians and Senators. So, you see, I did more to promote Mr. Fraser than
anyone else. How many art dealers would go to this extent?
Later on, we found out that Mr. Chretien donated a painting (we hope it wasn’t a Group of 7 member) to the
National Gallery and received a 25K income tax deduction along with a Canadian actress, who received a 50K
deduction for her donation. The Director of the National Gallery of Canada, Mr. Charles Hill published a book on
the Group of Seven in 1995, just imagine his book sales, if this Fraser Exhibition was broadcast all over the
media in 1995? All these other museums, galleries, auctioneers seemed to ignore Mr. Fraser, why?
Before Don died, he gave us an important file and what we gleaned from it was, that he was let go from the Ontario
College of Art in the early 1950’s, because he wrote a Critique on the Group of Seven that was published in the
school newspaper. We have a copy, and it is a very congealed description of all seven members. Some of these
members of the group were art instructors along with Don! He wrote this critique, as an instructor to assist
artists to understand their painting styles, and not as an attack against any member of the Group. We believe,
somebody with a lot of money and interest with this College of Art, had Mr. Fraser's work ignored. I have a B &W
photo of Don walking into the Thompson Gallery in Toronto with a painting, the same Gallery that represented the
Group! So why was this talented artist' works ignored ?
In the Toronto “Evening Telegram article, on Saturday, Feb 18, 1928”: The Art Gallery of Ontario, “Exhibition of
Canadian Paintings By the Group of Seven” the article states: “Junk Clutters Art Gallery Walls While Real
Paintings Are Hidden in Cellar”! In 1928, these seven Artists were really not that popular according to this
article! Critics will be critics, as I mentioned earlier, I even had a person once tell me, that Arja was copying
Mr. Fraser’s work? That person must realize by now, that nobody can copy anyone's work, but can always learn from
it, after all she was one of his students, and later on one of his painting partners!
The Group of Seven members travelled by train to Buffalo, New York to visit an exhibition of European
Impressionists, at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and were turned on by their work, and after they came back to
Canada and these seven, who back then in the 1920's earned their living doing etchings for the Toronto newspapers
and magazines of photography, were very much influenced by their works. They painted art in their off time then
and it was difficult for them to do it without private vehicles to travel to different locations, as artists did
in the 1960’s and there on could. A few individuals with money had to get behind these artists and start
purchasing their works? Who? How did Mr. Donald Gordon Fraser’s article at OCA and artwork almost get in their
way? Was he really that much of a threat?
With thousands of artists in Canada, why is the focus only on these Seven? Maybe because The Group of Seven
artworks became a legitimate Ponzi scheme using the Canadian Art deduction law, which allows the Canadian art
investors, Companies, and Corporations, deduct the cost of the art purchases over a six-year period, no matter how
much they cost? Two years ago, a large, Lawren Harris painting of the mountains out West, was purchased by an art
buyer from California for 11 million dollars. Because the painting was shipped outside of Canada the Canadian
Government lost $1,300,000 in HST taxes.
Mr. Fraser was also employed in both CBC and CTV television stations to earn a living. He painted set stages and
portraitures for television, just as even today, the most artists need to make a living by doing additional work.
Don Fraser’s portraits were like those of the old Masters paintings hanging in the European Museums! However, none
of the members of the Group of Seven never really painted portraitures.
Dr. Lefrancois, the museum director in France, held a Doctorate in Fine Arts from the Louvre in Paris, which meant
that he understood and studied the Great Masters of the World! There is no Museum Director in Canada, or the
United States with this Doctorate in Fine Arts from the Louvre? After Dr.Lefrancois examined a number of
photographs of Don’s work, in his letter to Mr. Fraser in 1993, he stated: “I believe that I was not mistaken in
judging you to be the living heir of the Group of Seven”. Our reply to Dr. Lefrancois in 1994 was, that it should
be changed to “one of the living heirs” as per Mr. Fraser’s request. So, just like his critique on the Group of
Seven, Mr. Fraser was a very modest artist not seeking much fame, or taking away from others, I don’t really think
he cared of money, just painting! His family took him to see the art at the Louvre in Paris and to attend his own
show opening. Here was an artist, who picked up a book about Homer Watson as a young lad and started painting
without any instructor, or teacher, eventually becoming an art instructor himself and now standing amongst all
this fantastic art in front of him and he is here because of the work he himself created. We can only imagine how
he felt!
How many other youngsters here in Canada and the United States are out there that possess a God given talent? We
perhaps fail for them to succeed by duplicating what happened to Donald Gordon Fraser? Arja was lucky, as she had
some art training and began to draw and paint in Finland before immigrating to Canada with high marks from first
grade on, and throughout her high school art course there and in Toronto, and getting Mr. Fraser as an instructor
for her life drawing class at Central Tech. High School.
After Mr. Fraser’s exhibition in France, I sat down with him and told him that, because of all his art sales, the
Canadian Government was going to nail him on income taxes of the sale of his works and suggested that he hold
another show here in Canada, as well. He then signed Arja on, as his exclusive art agent and we decided to find a
hotel in Toronto to hold a one man show and sale. The Ballroom of the Toronto Harbour Castle Hotel was chosen for
an entire week with security, lights, panels and advertising, for which Mr. Fraser agreed. The show ended up
costing Don $45,000 in 1997. This had never been done by any Canadian Artist! We sold three quarters of the 72
paintings that were available, and the show was needless to say: “A Great Success”!
Over the years we sold over 1,100 of his paintings and never forcibly insisted for anyone to purchase
these, so
why then did everybody purchase them? You cannot really answer this question by hiding his work away from the
public, knowing full well, it will for a fact turn the Canadian Art World on its head! People with money and
influence are not that ignorant not to want to follow up on his art, just like was done earlier by individuals of
that Ponzi Scheme. There is Scheme with Donald Gordon Fraser’s work, his paintings were sold to hundreds and
hundreds of buyers over the years. We have the records and know the titles, sizes, medium and prices of each piece
sold. We believe that 49 of his paintings have now hit the auction market, because many of our old clients, who
bought them and have passed them on to their heirs. Studio 737 has sold Mr. Fraser’s best works over the years,
and we, were sure of that! We returned the items not sold, back to the Fraser Estate in 2011, at their request.
The heirs of those original buyers may not find them suitable for their homes, but those original purchasers knew
what they were all about, as you just cannot find another piece of art to replace a Fraser on your wall, it’s like
removing that wall, as they are so powerful and intense. We believe that his portraitures and landscapes in oil
are the most powerful of any Canadian Artist, perhaps due to his ambidexstrous ability. We no longer own or are
seeking to own Mr. Fraser's work so we have no benefit to gain in this article. It, is soley for the benefit of
all of our customers who purchased his works over these past years.
I thought that Barrie, Ontario would be a good location to open our final Gallery, with the close proximity to
Toronto and that it would make it a great location and talked Arja into my idea. We ended up renting a store
available there and in three months time, I built additional walls in a large unit and added extra lighting to
enhance art. Many customers told us that the Studio 737 Gallery was superior to the Barrie Art Gallery. The mayor
himself was unable to attend our opening, but sent a representative. Mr. John Brassard, the Conservative Member of
Parliament, came to our opening and introduced himself and was greatly impressed by our artists' works, and why
would he not have been, as many of our regular talented artists had once again joined Arja in this endeavor almost
overnight? After all we had operated two other Studio 737 Art Galleries up til' then.
Unfortunately, after operating it for almost a year, it turned out that this location was a fatal mistake, as rent
was high, and not enought purchasing customers. Perhaps, because Barrie is now just like a suburb of Toronto, a
50-minute drive away and most of these residents leave Barrie at 6am and drive to Toronto to go to work. If you
walk into most galleries in the big city, many just walk right out, as the pricing is out of sight, which was not
the case in our gallery, but it didn't help! So sadly we closed the place down after artists had picked up their
works.
I sat down and drafted and emailed a letter to to Prime Minister Trudeau, as well as, five of his Cabinet
Ministers, and every Conservative Member of Parliament and in this document I talked about Canada needing more
emphasis on CANADIAN HERITAGE, because I had seen what was happening and that Arja was about to lose all her money
that she had invested in the Barrie operation. I also recommended that the policy of deducting Canadian Art from
one’s income taxes needs a revision to a maximum of $10,000. Therefore, I recommend that there should be no Income
Tax Deduction on works by deceased artists, which I’m sure, as it was intended to be in so many years ago.
Hopefully, your government can now concentrate in helping current Living Artists and those would be artists,
perhaps by additional art programs in schools, just like sports. A very good reason to change that original law,
and it would be just common sense.