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Artist included in the 1967 book
A History of Peel County: To Mark Its Centennary*

For many years, until 1954, a quietly humourous Dutch artist lived in a house on the banks of the Credit River at Terra Cotta. His name was Jordanus Vandervliet, who was born in Amsterdam, Holland, where he received his training in art and engraving.

He was a colourful painter, who, not satisfied with painting alone, taught local residents how to appreciate the use of colour with a certain flamboyance. He had no patience with the student who only "tickled his canvas" with oil paint. He would urge them to "go ahead — do not be afraid of it — splash it on!" and so many amateur artists developed a courage in the use of colour they might never have discovered without the impellent of Mr. Vandervliet.

When he first moved to Terra Cotta he lived in the white house that is now [as of 1967] the "Country Gallery" where contemporary artist John Agg and his wife sell their paintings, sculpture and ceramics. Mr. Vandervliet later built a house and studio closer to the river to enable him to paint the river's many moods from his studio window when it was far too cold or damp to paint in the outdoors.

Jordanus Vandervliet died in his home at Beeton in October, 1962.

NOTE: Any words in square brackets [like these] are editors notes, to update old information.

* This article was used with permission from "A History of Peel County: To Mark Its Centennary", published in 1967, by what is now the Region of Peel. The segment in the book entitled "Renowned for Artists and Art" was written by Paddy Thomas. Thanks to the Peel Archives at the Peel Heritage Complex for the reprinting permission. All information was factually correct as of publication 1967, but may be inaccurate presently.

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