Memories of a Key Harbour Icon – William (Bill) Michaud

From the Summer 2012 edition of the KRAA newsletter.

As we begin another summer on the Georgian Bay, I will be remembering our dear, departed friend “William Michaud”, “Bill”, “Billy”, “Willy”, “The Artist” who passed away in March of this year [2012]. Mary Taggart and I were on a cruise in the Western Caribbean and we met some people from Oshawa, when we mentioned that we knew someone in Oshawa – an Artist, William Michaud. The gentleman stated that he was sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but he saw Bill’s obituary in the paper just before we sailed. You can imagine our surprise and sadness.

On Bill’s first trip in the spring, I noticed there were a couple of things he did, each year, as he returned to his beloved Harbour. On the way down the river he looked up into the sky for the turkey wultures (don’t change the
spelling, some of you will know what I mean) and smiled when he saw them floating lazily above the river. When he got to his cottage [K50], he took an old stub of a pencil and wrote, with a satisfied smile, the date of his arrival, in the corner by the door that leads into the cottage, opposite the chair he always sat in.

[Editor’s note – Paul didn’t know about this, but this tradition was resurrected after this article. Thanks Sue!]

Billy was one of a kind. Thank Goodness!!!!

Everyone who knew him will have their own memories,
these are mine:

• Generous to a fault when you visited him – of course he probably owed you a few.
• Discerning dinner tastes – during the afternoon, sometimes late morning – when he made his “rounds” and was invited for dinner later, he’d boldly ask “What’s the menu?” He would later compare all the offerings and decide if and where he would dine that evening.
• He loved his garden, especially his peonies, and would share
  his vegetables with many.
• Driving that little 14 foot Starcraft, full blast, bent forward, arm back, hat, cigar all pointing ahead.
• Wheeling and dealing – everything – including paintings.
• Cigar butts in a little box beside his chair.
• Bringing a treat for the dog, in his pant’s pocket, then laughing when the dog jumped at him.
• He and the cat breaking the beaver dam behind his cottage
  every couple of days.
• Cooking at the KRAA annual picnic in his chef’s coat and hat.
• Smoking fish and sharing them.
• And then of course, his art, prints, oils, water colours.

Hopefully all of the lovers of this area have one or many of his works so that each time you look at a “Michaud” it will evoke wonderful Georgian Bay memories.

You were one of us Bill. We’ll Miss you, Thanks, it truly was a pleasure.

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Michaud was born in the Georgian Bay area and began painting early in his childhood. Michaud was a self-taught artist, completing extensive restorative work to numerous paintings, notably a collection of paintings donated by R.S. McLaughlin to O’Neill Collegiate, and restoration work for St. Michael’s Cathedral in Oshawa. In his own work, Michaud frequently painted landscapes in both oil and watercolors, inspired by Georgian Bay, Lake Superior and Alaska. Michaud lived in Oshawa and taught evening classes at O’Neill Collegiate, Bowmanville High School and the Orono Armouries.
He loved the tranquility of the beautiful shores of Georgian Bay, which he brought to life through his many paintings. He spent much of his time at his cottage near Key River where he would often be found painting, gardening or enjoying a fine cigar.

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