Ancestors and Descendants ~. by Jennifer Noxon
Christopher Noxon Matilija Canyon
As a young girl from the suburbs of Toronto, my Great Aunt Betty Lane made a big impression on me. Although I came from a family where art and music were greatly appreciated, my Aunt Betty existed to paint. In her words, she, “had no choice”. She also loved music and played viola and recorder. She was a single mom who raised a son and kept her creative flame lit by working as an art teacher. She had hundreds of paintings in her basement and showed her work primarily on the east coast of the US. Aunt Betty hung her teabags out to dry so they could be used again, fed chickadees from her hand and drove around Cape Cod like a bat-out-of hell, no matter where she was going. She came to our family by marriage, so I have no claim to having her genes or her talent in my blood. However, Betty Lane introduced me to a world of possibilities outside my own, and left an impression that held me up when choosing to listen to my own creative voice. I am grateful to you, Betty Lane.
Oakville Harbour Mouth by Betty Lane, 1940’s
Among her sprinkling of descendants is Christopher Noxon, my second cousin and Betty Lane’s grandson, who I have had a friendship with since my 20’s. We don’t keep in close touch, but when we do get together, we pick up where we last left off. I’ve watched Christopher grow up to be a seeker, curious about so many things. He is a dad/journalist/author/illustrator-turned-painter. But in his words, “I prefer verbs over nouns”. Let’s say he is a playful, inquisitive creative no matter what he does. In the last few years, he has carved out a life for himself in Ojai, California, a gorgeous arid town with an interesting history of its own. He is inspired by the area and paints it in colours few would dare to use. The LA Weekly recently highlighted him in their ‘Meet an Artist Mondays’ column. His work can also be found at .christophernoxonart.com. If you need a little cheering up, this would be a good reason to check him out.
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