A History of the Space: Theo Willemse and Arterial

Written by Sophie Sobol

Amsterdam-born artist Theo Willemse and his wife and partner Patricia Thornton have a unique and intimate connection with the Arterial exhibition space. For many years, it was their home. Willemse spent 21 years living on Adelaide Street in what is now Arterial Gallery. He lived in playful harmony with giant wooden and bronze sculptures, plinths, and more.

The space functioned as a casual gallery-by-invitation as well as a fully-equipped artist’s studio and residence. When Thornton joined him, for the final 10 years, she spent her time balancing, and acting as curator and choreographer, as she does with his exhibitions. Together they welcomed other Toronto artists, local art lovers, and a small kindred and dedicated community coalesced.

Willemse grew up in Toronto and attended Central Tech Secondary School, where he studied in the fine arts program and apprenticed under Wyndham Lawrence in sculpture.

He has been a working artist ever since. His organic style combines diverse materials and forms and focuses on – in his words – “abstract stylized anatomy – human, tree and animal.”

Willemse and Thornton finally decided to leave their beloved home just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they now live just outside Kingston in Lemoine Point, Ontario. However, the thought of leaving this powerful, artistic space empty and unused was unacceptable, and the couple reached out to their friends Nathaniel Garcia founder of Arterial, and collaborator Sheldon Rose, of Sheldon Rose Gallery, to keep the artistic spirit of their place alive.

Today their former home is a fully functioning gallery, and exhibition studio, offering Artist residencies. It continues to be a gathering place for artists, art-lovers, interior and graphic designers. Willemse continues to show his works at Arterial appearing in almost every show as an honoured figure in the Arterial community.

This building has been an artist’s home, a studio and an exhibition space. In the spirit of Willemse and Thornton it continues to be a home for the curious and creative, and open to new possibilities. This rich human history has helped make Arterial the intimate and unique gallery that it is today.

So what does the future hold for this hidden gem, situated in an obscure laneway in Toronto? Only time will tell. But it's guaranteed to inspire art-lovers and designers for years to come.