Letters from Robert Markle to Marlene Markle may be found in Series 21: Marlene Markle
Robert Nelson Markle (Hamilton, Ontario, 1936-Holstein, Ontario, 1990) was a Canadian artist, writer, educator and musician. He began his studies at the Ontario College of Art (OCA) in 1954, but was expelled before graduation. While at OCA, he met Marlene Shuster, a fellow student, whom he married in 1958. The focus of Markle’s work from his early days was the female nude, particularly burlesque dancers, and Marlene became his primary model and muse. In 1962 Markle had his first group exhibition at The Isaacs Gallery in Toronto, becoming one of the “Isaacs Group” of artists. In 1965, Markle paintings shown in the exhibition Eros ’65 at the Dorothy Cameron Gallery were seized on a charge of obscenity, drawing considerable media attention. In the mid-1960s Markle began to write for magazines such as the Toronto Telegram Showcase, Maclean’s, and Toronto Life, publishing widely on topics as diverse as striptease, hockey, childhood Christmases, and Gordon Lightfoot. Markle also worked extensively as an illustrator, contributing images to magazines and literary journals. His work as an educator included terms at The New School of Art (1966-1977) and Arts’ Sake (1977-1982) as well as OCA and the University of Guelph. From the early 1960s, Markle played tenor saxophone and piano in the Artists’ Jazz Band. In 1970 the Markles moved to a farmhouse outside of Holstein, Ontario, although Robert re-established a studio in Toronto from 1979 to 1982. In 1979, he won a commission to decorate a Toronto hamburger restaurant, which was named Markleangelo’s in his honour. His other large-scale commissions include wall-sculptures for the Ellen Fairclough Building in Hamilton, Ontario, and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. He executed painted outdoor murals in Owen Sound and Mount Forest, Ontario. Markle was killed in a traffic accident in 1990. Of Mohawk ancestry, Markle used his mother’s spelling of his surname, although it was spelled “Maracle” on his birth certificate. Markle worked primarily in painting and ink drawing, and also explored photography, collage, printmaking, wooden sculpture and neon. He collected folk art, which inspired a number of whirligig works later in his career. His work is in numerous public and private collections, including the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada.
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Edward P. Taylor Library and Archives, Art Gallery of Ontario
Series consists of Robert Markle’s “Letters” files of correspondence received, which were filed chronologically by Markle. Series also includes some correspondence files assembled by the archivist. File titles have been taken from Markle’s file labels, except for those in square brackets, which have been supplied by the archivist.
Further accruals are expected.
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Copyright of material in this fonds is held by the heirs of the creator. Copyright belonging to other parties, such as that of photographs, may still rest with the creator of these items. It is the researcher’s responsibility to obtain permission for the reproduction of any part of the fonds.
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Letters received from Markle's mother, Susan Ross, Gerry McAdam, Claire Reppen, Instituto de Cultura Hispanica, George & Grace Campbell, George Hamilton IV, and others. Assembled by the archivist.
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Letters and postcards received from correspondents including Andy Wainwright, Owens Art Gallery, Graham Coughtry, Karen ___, Krista ____, Gordon Rayner, Ricki Murray, Patrick Watson, Dennis Reid, and others. Some unsolicited letters re: Lightfoot article in Macleans. A few copies of sent letters. Note: letters from Coughtry in fragile condition.
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Letters and postcards received from Peter Stollery during his travels in Europe. Assembled by the archivist.
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Get-well letters and cards relating to a motorcycle accident involving Robert Markle
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Letters and postcards received from Arthur Keinberger, Laura Berman, Andy Wainwright, and others. Some correspondence re: possible Gordon Lightfoot book by Markle. Some copies of sent letters.
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Letters and postcards received from Suzy Patterson, Patrick Watson and others. Ontario Arts Council grant application material. A few copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from Joan Murray, Robin Masyk, Andy Wainwright, Patrick Watson, Libby Bowden / Line Management Services, WEA Music of Canada Inc., and others. Some copies of sent correspondence. Notes toward a letter to government re: cultural spending cutbacks.
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Letters and postcards received from Andy Wainwright, Hank Bull, Three Schools, Georgian College, Patrick Watson, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from Canada Council Art Bank, Edward Grogan, Jeanne Parkin / Art in Architecture, and others. Copy of letter from Graham Coughtry to Avrom Isaacs. Some copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from Suzy Patterson, Andy Wainwright, and others. Exhibition notices for Graham Coughtry and Telford Fenton. Gun registration material.
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Letters and postcards received from Arts for Peace, Nora Pratt / Exile Editions, Scollard Productions, Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from Gordon Rayner, CAPAC, Patrick Watson, Silent Voice Project, Durham Art Gallery, Robert McLaughlin Gallery, and others. Ontario Arts Council grant package. Press clippings featuring Robert Markle.
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Letters and postcards received from Ecole Publique Gabrielle Roy, Cath Morrissey, Andy Wainwright, Canadian Forum, Hamilton Homecoming '84, Patrick Watson, Durham Art Gallery, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Avrom Isaacs, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence. Documents relating to the suspension of Markle's driver's licence. Press clippings featuring Robert Markle.
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Letters and postcards received from Restigouche Gallery, Artnica, Cath Morrissey, Patrick Watson Enterprises, Andy Wainwright, University of Guelph, Jan Steel Moffatt, Joan Murray / Robert McLaughlin Gallery, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from John Bruce, Avrom Isaacs, Maggie Mitchell / Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, Gordon Rayner, Ken Lywood, Durham Art Gallery, Andy Wainwright, Patrick Watson, Canadian Artists' Representation Ontario, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence. Canada Council grant application package.
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Letters and postcards received from Durham Art Gallery, Margaret Mitchell / Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, Gordon Rayner, Ontario Arts Council, Andy Wainwright, CARFAC, Mendelson Joe, Society for the Preservation of Wild Culture, John Bruce. Some copies of sent correspondence. Article, Ajay Heble, "The poetics of jazz
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Letters and postcards received from Janet H. Stevenson / University of Western Ontario, Gordon Rayner, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Whitney Smith / Society for the Preservation of Wild Culture, Mendelson Joe, Sandy Philp, Andy Wainwright, and others. Some copies of sent correspondence.
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Letters and postcards received from Avrom Isaacs, The Studio, Durham Art Gallery, Gordon Rayner, Olivia Ruth, Mendelson Joe, and others. Copies of CARFAC Copyright Collective booklet; Workseen (Vol. 1, No. 4, March 1990); Tom Thomson Memorial Art Gallery, Emptiness, 1990. Draft of A Possible Survival Plan for Temagami by Diane Pugen and Rick Carlaw.
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