E3161 Victoria Edwards (RMC 2003) contacted Wendy Trethewey B.F.A., a working professional artist in Ottawa, who was commissioned to execute several works at the Royal Military College. Her uncle 2184 Rear Admiral Desmond W. Piers (RMC 1930) served as RMC Commandant 1957-60. She lived with her family in Ridout Row when her husband Major John Trethewey RCR, (now deceased) was the Army Staff Officer at RMC 1979-80. Her daughter-in-law is 14998 Megan Marnitz Tretheway (RMC 1986). http://www.wendytrethewey.com
e-veritas: You executed several graduation portraits at the Royal Military College.
Wendy Trethewey: My late former husband John Trethewey, talked me into doing cadet graduation portraits in their red tunics and ceremonial swords at a greatly reduced price. We had such a wonderful posting at the college and enjoyed the cadets so much that it was a pleasure to paint these aspiring young men. They were class of ’80: 12529 Mark Eldridge (RMC 1980), 12569 Stephen Kading (RMC 1980), David Griffiths (RMC 1980), and 12710 Duncan Reid (RRMC RMC 1980).
e-veritas: Your paintings in the Canadian War Museum collection features RMC cadets.
Wendy Trethewey: The late Mary Louise Leach and I were commissioned by DND in 1991 to do 20 paintings about “Family Life in the Military’. They are now housed in the collection of our Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. The theme was graduation to retirement and the important role the family plays. Our painting of Graduation includes 14998 Megan Marnitz Tretheway, (RMC 1986) (my daughter-in-law) and 13868 Mike Fabbro (RMC 1983) who posed for a photo shoot and we put them in front of the Memorial Arch in the painting.
e-veritas: Please describe some of the works you completed while you lived at Rideout Row in 1979-80.
Wendy Trethewey: I did quite a few paintings of the campus since we lived at Rideout Row for 2 years. 4154 Col and Mrs. John Annand (RMC 1958) commissioned a pen and water colour of the Director’s house. I painted a water colour of the RMC Harbour. I sold an ink and water colour of the Fort Frederick Martello Tower at RMC. I am not sure where the water colour of the Mackenzie building and the Old Hospital ended up but am sure it was sold as it’s not in my possession. The pen and water colour of the Commandant’s House, 1980, (13″x21″) was commissioned. artist@wendytrethewey.com
Note: There is a matter of artists’ copyright when using some of the paintings as laid out by our Canadian Artists Representation copyright collective Inc.
( CARCC ). They can be reached at carcc@carcc.ca.