Before we launch into the rest of my story, let me provide a little history of the subject, 395A Sackville.
Built in the early 1870′s on the front of the lot on Sackville Street, Toronto. 395A was erected as a two story commercial building, in front of the original home, we suppose as the business of the land owner.
We know that it was operated as a Butcher Shop, and that in it’s last years in that incarnation, eight children lived there with their mother. This family was the first one to move into the new and fabulous Regent Park in 1958.
The building was then purchased by Mr. Jack Nichols, a Canadian artist of some note at that time, who lived upstairs and used the main floor as his studio. Neighbours, who still live nearby tell me that Jack had an opportunity to buy a better house close by, but was drawn by the light that bathes the building every day from the west. All for art.
Jack moved there in 1958 and stayed until he was no longer able to stay alone, in 2008. In all of those 50 years very, very few people were were ever admitted into the sanctum of his studio.
This was a man who quietly observed and was deeply affected by those around him. As a mainly self-taught artist, in the early 1940′s his talent came to the attention of Douglas Duncan of Toronto’s Picture Loan Society. It was through the Picture Gallery exhibitions, which began in 1941 that Jack’s career was launched.
In Cabbagetown he was a familiar but mysterious character. he was friendly and yet intensely private and not everyone new of his extraordinary accomplishments. Until yesterday ….
Tags: amateur renovator, Cabbagetown historical Home, Historical renovation, Home renovation, Jack Nichols
