The Chief’s Song

John George Diefenbaker, Canada’s 13th Prime Minister (1957-1963) as depicted in this smaller than life-sized drawing.

Made in 1977 it is in ball-point pen showing the elderly politician in the full, high-blown rhetoric that recalls his two decades plus of print media, and other coverage of him from radio and TV news sound clips.

It was drawn in my usual innovative style, meaning, that while I did have photo references at hand, I approached it without premeditation, or preparation, as to proportions and placement of features; I preferred to make whatever adjustments necessary along the way keeping the most casual, and unacademic, and unimpeded flow possible of pen to paper.

I was also keen to equally register the face I heard: After all, there was no such thing as a “still” photo of John Diefenbaker.

In a small label design office one summer job in Montreal, 1967, the Secretary / Receptionist told me, with much joy and enthusiasm, and obvious pride, she had been   Mr. Diefenbaker’s secretary in an earlier decade in Saskatchewan.  That curious piece of self-validation and self-verification on her part suddenly at this moment emerges as wanting into the bio-narrative of this drawing.

“Dief’s” song.

And yet … while I was fascinated by the visual impact of his delivery, nothing of his content found any resonance with me whatsoever.  Nil.  Zero.  Zilch.