Marjorie’s Story

I was born on Bell Island, Newfoundland on April 10, 1939. My Father’s name was Charles Butler, my grandfather’s name was Edward Butler, both from Saint John’s. My mother’s name was Marjorie Penney. Her father’s name was Frazer Penney and her mothers name was Laura Penney, both from Carbonear, Newfoundland. We moved to Toronto a year after I was born. We moved to Fairview in Nova Scotia somewhere around l943 or 1944. We then moved to Hamilton in Ontario around 1953, and moved to Toronto again in 1955.

I married Ronald Aubie in 1957. I moved to New Brunswick 1972 – Bathurst, Saint John, Quispamsis, Belleisle Creek, which is where I am living now. I remarried in 1980, while living in Quispamsis, to William Akerley.

I was a member of the Saint John Art Club for a period of time. In 1958 I decided to paint my first oil painting, although I didn’t even know how to get started! I made a trip to the art store and asked them what it was that I need to do that. They were very helpful, and I went home with a bag full of goodies. I never ever saw anyone do a painting before, and never studied it in school. Well, here goes…

My first painting was a mountain scene with a lake and trees, it was about 16 x 20 inches. When I became pregnant (and became very sick, and couldn’t stand the smell of turpentine) my first painting didn’t get finished. We moved at the time and my painting disappeared in the process. I didn’t get back at it again until 1962.

I then decided to paint a painting of Jesus hanging on the cross. Well, that was certainly a challenge! I did it all backwards, meaning that I started painting Jesus on the cross, then the background, then the sky. Try that one, won’t you? I finished it, but did some reflecting afterwards and I said to myself, there must be an easier way because that was hard – very hard.

The next painting I did was the Last Supper. It was certainly a challenge, but I finished it nevertheless. I don’t have these two paintings anymore. The crucifix one went to my brother-in-law since he loved it so much. The other one was getting cleaned up with soap and water, and some of the paint got washed away in the process. Surprise, surprise, and lesson learned…

The forth painting that I did is the one that you will see here in my collection, titled “Baby in Blue”. And it all went from there. I am now trying to learn how to paint with acrylics. My first painting is here in my collection, titled “My Dream Home”.

I hope you enjoy looking at each of my paintings!
Marjorie